


Lonely Lovers Club

by OniZenmaru



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: AU, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:13:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 117,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OniZenmaru/pseuds/OniZenmaru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flynn wanted more from Yuri than just his body...though it would take some time for him to realize it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shot One: Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Uploading older works~

Little boys were supposed to like little girls…that's what he had been told at seven. Guys were supposed to go out with girls…that's what he had been told at eleven. Males were supposed to have sex and reproduce with females…that's what he had been told at thirteen. So then why… _why_ , did every fiber of his being scream that there was something wrong with that? He knew why…and it had taken him seventeen long years to figure out just why the words of the people around him never sat well with him.

He was gay, plain and simple.

But the problem was that it _wasn't_ so simple. Flynn Scifo had always known that something was off about him, that he functioned in a different way compared to his peers, but had never once tired to recognize it. In the past he believed that if he did it meant admitting that he was abnormal, and the last thing he wanted was to be labeled as a freak. So he began to live a lie. It was easy when younger, since he could've just claimed that he found girl's 'icky' and therefore people would think it was just a phase he'd outgrow.

But when older it became much harder…Flynn was always hounded by his friends as to why he, a good-looking blonde haired, blue-eyed guy, had never once gone out with any girl at school. He joked about it but never once told the truth, but the truth was also something he had pushed into a deep part of his being, hoping it never saw the light of day. It was his dirty little secret, but after a while he began to feel sickened by the fact that he was diminishing his own self-worth. Quite frankly, he hated himself, hated that he was scared of something that had always been there and that would never go away not matter how much he tried to bury it.

Admitting it to himself was the first step to acceptance. When he finally gathered up enough courage he faced himself in the bathroom mirror, locking eyes with his reflection as he spoke the words that had been caught in his throat for years. It was amazing how uttering two small words made him feel better, if not frightened by the things he allowed himself to think. He liked men, liked the way they looked and so desperately wanted to touch and be touched by them. Fantasizing was a dangerous thing; he did it about as often as any normal boy his age did, and because of this he had to remove himself from gym class.

He had already earned that credit anyway so it wasn't like he really needed to be there, but he was questioned about his sudden transfer. So what did he do? Lie. He was so sick of it…but there was no way he'd tell his guidance counselor that he had been ogling his fellow students. Flynn was sure there'd come a time when he could be open about everything he was feeling, but until it came he'd have to continue playing the character he had built up over the years. When alone in his room, door locked and mother away, he could finally unwind and be the Flynn he wanted to be.

Pretending to be someone else took far too much energy out of him, but as he nestled down into his bed sheets, mind wandering over to the things he had been keeping in all day, he just let go. Sometimes he'd masturbate, getting out all of his sexual desires in one five to fifteen minute session. He never felt guilty afterward, in fact, he felt great. Being isolated did have its perks since he could do whatever he wanted to himself, but after a while he began to crave companionship. It didn't necessarily need to be physical; of course that would've been great but he really just wanted to be with someone who understood him.

And it was for that very reason that he was currently walking into a gay bar, wondering if he should even be there to begin with. Finding the place actually took some doing, the blonde having to visit the rumored 'gay part of town' and ask around, which was an experience in itself. It was one thing to say the words 'I'm gay' to himself behind a closed door, but it was another thing to say 'I'm looking for a gay bar' to a complete stranger. There were apparently several in the area, so that meant asking which was the best to 'meet people'. He didn't know how else to put it, and he was sure of the implications that came along with his words but it was fine…whatever happened, happen.

There were a few things bothering him about being there, which he probably should've taken into account _before_ he arrived. For one it was eleven at night, Flynn having snuck out of the house two hours after his mother had fallen asleep. The last thing he wanted was for her to check on him and panic if he wasn't there, though the odd of her getting up were pretty low. There was also the fact that he was miles away from home, the bus stop he had gotten off at a whole five blocks away. If anything were to happen to him he'd really have nowhere to run to, though the odds of that were fairly slim as well.

The real problem seemed to lie with his nerves, because there was no denying that he felt out of place. The music blared over the sound system so loudly that he had to cover his ears upon walking in, his eardrums throbbing painfully until they became use to the deep, trembling base that reverberated throughout his entire body. His eyes were treated a little better, though only a little with the strobing lights occasionally flickering so fast that he was surprised that no one had a seizure yet. They did calm down after a while which allowed him to see exactly where he was going, but there was no denying that he was a tad disoriented.

Now that he thought about it…where _was_ he going? Wandering around aimlessly would obviously get him nowhere fast, so since he was in a bar he decided to head for the alcohol. Of course he wouldn't be drinking, not that he was allowed to anyways. While on his way there he noticed how… _free_ everyone look, as if they didn't care that it was eleven o'clock on a Wednesday night. Bodies ground together, some shirtless others merely revealing their chests through their open button up shirts. They moved in time with the music, though quite a few of them seemed far more focused on the person in front of them.

Flynn couldn't help but jump when he felt something brush against his rear-end, upon turning around he found a much older looking man smirking at him, blowing a kiss at him before returning back to his prior company. The blonde's chest tightened, a feeling of discomfort filling him not because of the action itself but because of the new feeling he was getting because of it. It might've startled him but Flynn was pretty damn sure he liked it, because someone else's hand had finally touched him. But he decided not to let such a small thing get him so riled up. The last thing he wanted to do was show that he was even more of a newbie to all of this than he already had, because he was sure there were people around who smelt that kind of weakness and would've loved to exploit it.

Taking an empty seat at the bar he looked around again, noticing that besides the grinding quite a few people were making out right there on the dace floor. The prospect of kissing another male had always been on his mind, and he truly envied his friends who openly kissed their girlfriends whenever they saw the chance. He couldn't do such a thing…He couldn't just go up to some guy he found attractive in school and ask them out, kiss them where everyone would be watching and live happily ever after. The blonde wanted… _attention_.

"What'll it be, Blondie?"

Looking around he finally locked eyes with the bartender, surprised to find a woman staring right back at him. Her tight, low cut T-shirt left nothing to the imagination, and if that had tickled his fancy he probably would've been staring. But because he wasn't he was more so focused on why she was there, though it did occur him that she might've been a lesbian an therefore explaining everything. If she wasn't into girls then she had picked a rather good place to work because the odd of her being hit on by male customers was pretty low. Since asking her for anything alcoholic meant showing I.D. he decided to forgo that route, the blonde ordering one of the few non-alcoholic drinks he could think of.

"A, um…Shirley Temple…" He managed to get out, the bartender eying him up and down before turning her back on him.

"New guy huh?" She said, Flynn watching as she prepared the non-alcoholic drink he had ordered, "How long have you even been out, Blondie?"

"W-Well I…haven't really told anyone I know, but I've at least come out to myself…that was two months ago" The blonde fidgeted slightly, though when the bartender placed his drink in front of him she offered up a kind smile.

"Good for you. Take your time with other people, you've already gotten over the hardest part."

Flynn smiled a bit at the comment; he really had gotten over the highest hurdle, now all he had to do was open up to at least his family about the real him. He talked with her whenever she wasn't serving someone else, the blonde feeling a bit more comfortable than he had when entering the establishment. At some point she had removed her hair from the tight bun it had been in, shaking it out so it fell over her shoulder. He questioned why she did this, the bartender stating that she had a feeling one of her favorite customers would be coming in and he apparently hated seeing her hair down.

It was her way of teasing, and the blonde decided to just leave it at that…but he couldn't help but choke slightly when she asked if he was 'leaving with anyone' that night. The short answer was that he wanted to…the long answer was that even if Flynn deeply wanted to it wouldn't have been the smartest thing for him to do. Going home with a complete stranger, besides being terrifying, was irresponsible…but he had already snuck out of the house so it wasn't like he was the poster boy for the right thing to do anymore.

"Though you do look like jail-bait, just saying." Judith said as she began mixing another drink, the blonde's throat tightening a bit at the comment. Flynn _was_ jail bait, and even if he would be turning eighteen later on that year the fact still remained.

He could've seriously gotten someone in trouble for sleeping with an underage kid, and the last thing he wanted was for someone to be sent to prison because of him. But then again…if it was a one night stand he didn't really need to worry about giving out any information about himself, not to mention he'd probably never see the guy again. God…an hour out of the house and his thinking had done a complete one-eighty. But he at least had a point…if it was only a one night stand there didn't seem to be a problem.

So he mauled it over, but made sure to be discreet as he eyed the men around him. Flynn really wasn't sure of his 'type' but was sure he was looking for someone relatively young. His was brought back to the bar when Judith began speaking to him again, pointing out a few guys on the dance floor while illuminating their likes, dislikes and quirks. They all sounded pretty interesting, though the blonde wasn't sure if he had the nerve to actually go up and talk to them. He wasn't shy or anything, in fact he was pretty outgoing when at school, but to go up to someone with the intent to sleep with them was…completely new to him…

"A Jack and Coke with a shot of vodka, and for the love of god Judith, put your hair up, you look like a ten dollar whore."

"Ohh, five dollars more than a few weeks ago, someone's in a good mood."

His attention was instantly drawn to the person who had just sat down next to him, and given the comment he had made about Judith's hair he could tell it was the customer she had previously talked about. He was rather attractive, face indicating that he was still young but definitely older than him. His long, dark locks traveled down to the middle of his back, Flynn watching as he pushed his dark bangs behind his ear in one swift movement. He tried not to stare too much but the blonde found that he just couldn't help himself, so he wasn't all that surprised when he was caught.

The long haired man looked his way, but soon turned back when his drinks were placed in front of him. He took the shot first, downing it in a second before be began taking sips of his other drink. Judith came back and teased him a little more, asking if he was slacking off which caused the longer haired stranger to scowl a bit.

"Slacking off? Fuck that, I deserve a little fun after being cooped up for weeks." He spat, the bartender laughing a bit as he turned to make another drink. Once done she turned back, leaning over to whisper something into the new person's ear that Flynn clearly couldn't hear. He didn't pay much attention to it, deciding that their little conversation was none of his business and the last thing he wanted to be was nosy.

"Trust me on this." She made an odd gesture with her head before disappeared to the other side of the bar. The blonde watched her for a bit before turning to his own drink, finding that he had hardly touched it at all.

"Haven't seen your face around here before." It took Flynn a moment to notice that he was being spoken to, and upon looking over at the man that had taken a seat next to him he found a smirk on his face. It made him slightly uncomfortable but he couldn't turn away, the other male's dark eyes piercing into him in such a way that he knew the person before him was _demanding_ his attention.

"U-Um," Was all he managed to get out at first, but soon regained his composer, "Y-Yeah, I've never really ventured out to this part of town before."

"Really? Couldn't tell…" His words dripped with sarcasm, and even if the blonde took some offense to it he quickly got over it.

"So I…take it you come around here often…" The blonde began, trying his best to get some kind of conversation started.

"Often enough," He took a small sip of his drink before continuing, "I'm not a drunk or anything. I come to unwind."

"Oh, I see…Your job must be pretty stressful…though you don't look all that stressed."

"Oh?"

"W-Well, I mean…you look good for someone working so hard-"

"You know, you're a really bad flirt."

"I wasn't, I mean, I-I…I'm sorry, I'm _never_ hit on a guy before." The blonde rubbed the back of his head as he looked away, a small tint of pink gracing his cheeks. He really was making a fool out of himself, wanting so badly to just shrink down and bolt for the door.

"Wasn't that hard to tell, though you're cute so most guys will probably overlook that. The virgin thing is probably an added bonus."

"Wait, how did you know I was a-"

"You just told me, Blondie."

Flynn started at the long haired male before him, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he once again ran his fingers through his hair. Well that was embarrassing…even though there was no shame in being a virgin, but he didn't want everyone to know.

"There's nothing wrong with being a virgin…though…" Flynn watched as he man reached over, grasping the maraschino cherry out of his drink and placing it against his lips, "I could help you out with it if you wanted…"

A shiver slowly made it way down his back as the other male's tongue came out to lick the cherry, bringing it into his mouth were he chopped down in it, ripping the bright red fruit from it's stem. Flynn might've been naïve about a few things, but he knew an invitation when he saw one…and the blonde had _no_ intention of rejecting it.

"Then…help me out…"

He quickly followed the long haired stranger out, the unnamed man calling back to Judith to put their drinks 'on his tab'. Flynn's stomach began to churn uncomfortably as they stepped outside, mind once again telling him that going home with a complete stranger was a horrible idea. What if he ended up on the news as one of those guys who was killed because he was looking for a good time? Or worse…what if he was held hostage against his will and tortured? He was well aware that some people had that kind of fetish, and it wasn't like he could tell if someone was crazy by just looking at them.

Shaking his head he tried his best to rid himself of such thoughts, because if he kept thinking like that there was no way in hell he'd get himself laid. The walk wasn't too far from the bar, something the blonde was rather thankful for since the chilled spring air was starting to get to him. As he looked around he noticed that no one was staring at him, only giving him the occasional glance before going about their business. For some strange reason he believed that people could tell that he was going to have sex, that they would stare at him with such intensity that he'd have second thoughts.

He knew it was just paranoia, but…it was the thought itself that scared him. But there didn't seem to be anything wrong, in fact it seemed that everyone looked like they had their own dirty deeds to attend to. The two of them stopped at a fairly nice looking apartment complex, Flynn briefly wondering just what kind of income the person he was being escorted up the stairs by had. Because it was a rude thing to speak about he didn't bother to ask, instead silently following the raven haired stranger until they reached the top floor.

He could only tell that the apartment was spacious upon stepping inside, his attention immediately brought back to the person who had brought him there, their lips coming together in a rough manner. Fingers ran through his hair as he was forced against the now closed door, the other male's tongue ravaging his mouth in such a way that he damn near lost his sense of balance. His knees were weakened by such an attack, but he had no intention of fighting back because it felt _so good_. He tried putting up some kind of fight, but it was quite clear that he was no match for such a skilled mouth.

They were so damn close…so close in fact that he could feel the unnamed man's heat right up against him. He took his time to run his hands along the stranger's back, slowly bring them down and feeling his muscle through his loose shirt. Lower he went, fingers stopping mere inching away from his rear-end. Just because they were in a compromising position didn't necessarily mean he had free rein over the other's body…though this didn't stop the long haired stranger from feeling him up. His crotch was cupped, the action causing his body to jerk and knees weaken further.

This wasn't fair… _something_ should've been done to his attacker…So he moved his hands, cupping both of the other male's cheeks and squeezing them slightly. A low groan emitted from the stranger's throat, the blonde taking his as a sign that he liked the attention he was getting. He moved his leg a bit closer to the other's crotch, rubbing it a bit before the two of them finally parted.

"Such a virgin." He sounded amused as all hell, Flynn wanting to voice is irritation but was promptly cut off when lips were once again attached to his. Screw getting mad…it was a waste of time and he needed the energy for something else…

When he felt his collar tugged Flynn allowed himself to be led wherever, the two of them never parting as he tried to follow the stranger's footsteps. It seemed as if their route was a straight shot, Flynn noticing that they never once took a turn or stopped for any reason. He really didn't mind since it sped things along, the two of them finally stopping when his back collided with a soft surface.

"Just relax." The raven haired male said as he climbed onto his lap, gaze never leaving his, "I'll take care of everything."

And that was that…It was probably always in Flynn's best interest to just lie there and allow whatever to happen to him happen, but somewhere in the back of his diluted little mind he actually thought he could just wing it. Obviously he was rather glad he didn't act on such a stupid fantasy. Their lips met again but in a much gentler manner, the other male's long locks brushing against his skin, tickling his cheek. It was a rather nice sensation, though he had to admit that the roaming hands felt much better than the hair against his skin. They were slowly making their way down his chest, and when flesh met flesh under his shirt he shook a bit.

Fingers ran themselves up and down his stomach, Flynn groaning at the way they left warm streaks in their wake. Even though the man had said he'd take care of everything just lying there didn't seem very proactive, and even if it was only little things he still wanted to participate. The blonde reached up, hands shaking as he began to unbutton the other male's shirt. His fingers brushed against exposed skin, loving how warm to the touch the still unnamed man's body was. Right…he still hadn't asked for a name…Flynn hated to do it, but he broke the kiss, inquiring what his given name was.

"Let's save the formalities for later, 'kay?" And before the blonde could say another word he felt lips on his neck, all the words becoming caught in his throat before dissolving into nothing but a pathetic moan.

Fine then, no names…it was easier that way.

The thought of asking the still unnamed man if he could hold off on the hickies had occurred to him, given that it meant explaining just what it was if anyone saw it. But to hell with it…nothing else mattered at the moment, and when the issue came up he'd deal with it. His entire body shook when he felt teeth against his neck, slowly going down his jugular and finally coming to a stop at his clavicle. For his first hicky everything seemed to be going well, moaning at the contrasting hard nips and soft kisses he was receiving on that spot. The supposed mark was given a small kiss before the other male raised up, their eyes meeting as he licking his lips.

Flynn could barely stop himself so before he even realized it he had cupped the stranger's cheek in his hand, gently running his fingers down his silky skin. He really was a gorgeous creature, and if he hadn't known he was a male because of his voice at first glance he clearly would've thought he was a woman. He moved down a little lower so he could run his thumb over his lips, slowing gliding it over the slick region and blushing a bit at the reaction the other was giving him. His eyes were half closed, head cocked to the side ever so slightly as he let out a small moan. It was a complete turn on, but when the other male placed his hand on top of his, guiding it over so he could suck on his thumb, he swallowed hard.

Goddamn…if he wasn't hard before he definitely was now…

His thumb was inserted and removed at a slow pace, the other male's tongue licking the tip before biting down on it gently. Flynn squirmed under the other male's gaze, and he was once again faced with the same problem he had in the bar…even if he wanted to turn away he couldn't. The stranger was demanding his attention…He groaned a bit when he felt the long haired male's lower half rub again the bulge in his pants, wanting so badly to relive himself but knowing it would come in time. Right now he was far too focused on what was being done to his thumb.

The other's lower half moved again, but this time the blonde couldn't ignore the way it felt. It didn't help at all when he began stroking the bulge, Flynn's body tensing up as a response. He arched up into the touch, not wanting it to end and wishing his clothes weren't in the way. It was a bit frustrating so it didn't surprise him when he let out a small growl, hid body shaking a bit when that smirk from before was once again directed at him. And then the long haired stranger began to descend, piercing gaze never leaving his even as he reached the zipper of his pants. Using his teeth he pulled it down at a leisurely pace, hands working on his belt all the while.

It was an agonizing wait until he was freed from his confines, and before his stiff member could even hit the cool air of the apartment he was immediately met with heat. Flynn bucked his hips unintentionally, fingers gripping the sheets below him as his entire body was taken over by the sensation going on between his legs. It was completely different from when he used his own hand, the slick tongue of the long haired man hitting spots he didn't even know existed.

He tried holding back a moan as it moved upward, but when it reached his tip, licking over the slit, the blonde bucked and moaned loudly. Moving his head a bit he watched the other male work through half-lid eyes, slightly embarrassed at how plump it had become from just as few movements. But then again his cock had never been use to anything other than the strokes of his hand, so he tried to calm his embarrassment with that logic. The blonde gasped as his entire length was engulfed by the other male's mouth, and he really tried his best to control his bucking hips but found it far too challenging to even continue doing so.

He was being blown in an apartment by a man he didn't even know the name of…if he ever told anyone about such an experience he'd probably be laughed at. He would've laughed at that moment if not in such an erotic position, because venturing out on his own and picking someone up was so unlike him. The other male's mouth left his member briefly to give it a few strokes, but returned at the base of his cock to give it a quick suck and nip. Flynn once again shook from the pleasure he was feeling, squirming a bit as his member was completely engulfed yet again. He hesitated before inching his hand downward, stopping once his fingers had laced themselves in silky strands of hair.

Because he had never actually known any guy with long haired he was mesmerized by it during their first meeting, wanting nothing more than to run his fingers through it but found it highly inappropriate to do so. But given that there didn't seem to be any boundaries between the two of them it seemed all right to touch it, if only a little, because he wanted to know if it was as soft as he had originally thought. And it far exceeded his expectations. His fingers glided through strand after strand flawlessly, Flynn not having time to wonder if it was natural or because of what he washed his hair with because he was brought right back into the moment.

The blonde jerked a bit when the unnamed male began rolling his balls, something completely new to him since he had never bothered to deal with them before. Nothing special was ever done to his dick, just a few tugs and that was that, but to actually have someone take care of a body part he usually neglected was…a little odd. It was still very much enjoyable, his toes curling clearly giving that away, and he made a mental note to give them the attention they needed from now on. But sadly even if he was loving it an all too familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach meant that he needed to do something quick.

"W-Wait, please, I-I can't…" Was all he could manage to get out before his words once again dissolved into another moan, but it seemed he managed to get his point across. He relaxed a bit when the mouth around his member was removed, body still shaking as the other male kissing his way back up, planting a sloppy one of his lips upon reaching them.

There was a bitter taste on his lips, and even if he disliked the taste at first it slowly began to grown on him. The snuffling of clothes caught his attention, though he didn't bother to find out just what was being removed and from whom. Flynn managed to come back to his senses enough to notice the long haired stranger shrugging off his shirt, deciding to offer some assistance when it came to undoing his belt and jeans. There was a little more rustling and a lot more kissing, and by the time he was completely conscious of his surroundings the both of them were naked.

His face was dyed a deep shard of pink as he ran his hands along the other male's chest, thin fingers slowly making their way to his back and down. Flynn stopped when he felt the other's hand touch his, but when it bypassed it and moved lower his chest tightened as the longer haired male began moaning on his own. The blush on his face deepened as he watched him, eyes closed and lips parted as he became closer to him. His body seemed to rock against whatever he was doing, the more inexperienced male leaning up a bit to meet his parted lips. The gesture was returned in a rough manner much like before, but this time he managed to keep up with the other male's movement.

The two of them parted abruptly, the long haired stranger sitting back with an intense desire for something present in his eyes. And Flynn knew what he wanted…He emitted a low grown when his member was stroked but coughed and tensed as the unnamed male began descending upon it. He inched his way in, the heat he was already receiving from the other male nearly driving him over the edge. But he refused to be one of those guys who came way before that were supposed to, so he tried to hold it together…even if it wasn't fairing too well. It wasn't his fault that he wasn't use to the tight heat that was someone else's hole, and his squirming and groaning made this quite apparent.

"F-Feels pretty good, right?" The man above him asked, the smirk on his face clearly strained as he practically sat on his dick.

"Y-Yes…" Flynn muttered as he pretty much melted into the soft sheets below him. And then the other male started to move…He placed his hands on his chest as a means to balance himself as he moved his both half, the blonde feeling himself slowly losing whatever control he had over himself.

But then again, what good was control during sex? Reaching up he held into the other male's waist with his hands, allowing his hips to buck into the tight, deep hole that the long haired stranger possessed. He completely immersed himself in the sensation, loving the way the other's tight muscles contracted around him and the way he moaned and panted into the air. His ego was a little bloated as he thought about the fact that it was _him_ making the other react like that, though it deflated just the same when he felt horribly familiar tingling in his lower half.

No…he wouldn't allow himself to come too early…

Biting down on his bottom lip he tried to hold it back, wanting to ride the feeling of being inside of someone a little longer. Flynn began to grind the other's hips against his, the action apparently to the stranger's liking since he doubled over, hands now on either side on his head as his hair shaded him from what little light had been coming from the window nearby. Their kisses were extremely sloppy, but at that point no one was trying to correct their technique. The unnamed man's cries of 'harder' and 'faster' only turned him on more, his fallen hair once again tickling his cheek but this time he decided to brush it aside.

He didn't know what the hell he was doing, but the simple tactic of 'fuck hard and don't stop' seemed to be his friend. Of course he knew that this probably was a horrible technique to keep up, but figured with a little more practice with others he'd manage to learn the ins and outs sex. God…he was already thinking about the next person he was going to sleep with…what the hell had happened to him in such a short time? His body jerked when he felt something wet and hot against his right nipple, the blonde letting out a pathetic sounding whimper.

The raven haired male tended to the other one as well, his index finger and thumb pinching it before twisting it back and forth. Another new feeling…though he had to admit that it wasn't the first time someone had touched his sensitive numbs. The first time wasn't at all gentle, his bastard of a 'friend' decided to giving him a purple nurple out of the blue when he was ten. Of course what he was currently experience was nowhere near painful, in fact he tried to get himself a little closer to the mouth that was attacking him. But sadly he had reached his limit.

Gripping the stranger's rear-end he slammed into it, crying out as he came probably the hardest he ever had as his seed began filling him up. The blonde's entire body shook from his orgasm, it collapsing against the bed as his struggled to catch his breath. Flynn felt dazed, head completely in a fog as he felt the tickle of hair against his cheek disappear. The pressure around his now flaccid member was slowly being removed, the blonde having little no to no energy to protest as he felt his body being moved.

"Geez, I didn't come at all…" There was no hiding his annoyance but that was a given considering his predicament, "But we can fix that."

Upon regaining a little more awareness, the fog that had settled on his mind lifting a bit, he found that he was on his knees, cheek pressed against a pillow and ass completely in the air. Flynn looked back to see the other male smirking down at him, though he didn't feel any sort of threatening air directed at him. It was purely mischievous. Turning his head back he allowed whatever to happen, happen, because it would only add to his experience. However, it didn't stop him from letting out a surprised sound when he felt something wet against his hole.

"Just relax, I'm not going to eat you." Came a chuckle from behind him, the blonde blushing at his ridiculous reactions.

He jumped again when the feeling returned, deducting that it was the other male's tongue probing his entrance. It felt a bit odd at first, but the fact that he was slowly becoming hard again was enough to say that he liked it. The blonde's body was already sensitive from having come once, so every little touch he was given felt like Heaven. His lower half twitched as the longer haired male's tongue began to slip in and out of him, the feeling of it wiggling inside of him causing him to let out a deep and low moan. He twitched a bit more once he was fully erect, Flynn wrapping his fingers around his cock only to have his hand removed by another.

" _I'll_ deal with that, you just lay there and take it."

The blonde's only response was a small whimper, because with nothing happening to his ass he felt cold. He couldn't tell which but a finger was now pressed against him, and before he could jump at the pain he received from it leisurely penetrating him something else took his mind off of it. The part of his lower half that he usually ignored was once again getting attention, the blonde gripping the pillow as his balls began to be suck, dick stroked in time with the unnamed man's licks. Actually forming words seemed impossible, Flynn's mouth only producing groans and high pitch moans.

He really felt like a slut for allowing himself to be treated any old way, but then again he hadn't come to the apartment to be treated like a princess…he had come there for unadulterated _**sex**_.

When the finger penetrated him deeper something inside of him was hit, his back arching as he cried out for more. And thankfully he wasn't denied. Another finger was adding and they slammed into the spot again and again, the complete bliss it felt incomparable to anything else he had experience. His lower half rocked against the digits inside of him, but just as he was about to drift off into further bliss the fingers were gone. His shame had flown out the window some time ago, so when he whined and begged like a bitch in heat Flynn saw nothing wrong with it.

"All right, all right, give me a minute." The unnamed man said, Flynn knowing full well what came next but there wasn't any way for him to prepare for it. He jumped a bit when he felt a hand on his lower back, it moving in small, soothing circles as something that clearly wasn't fingers press against his entrance.

The gentle gesture was…surprising to say the least, but then again he wasn't really sure what kind of person the other male was so maybe he treated everyone in such a way. But now wasn't the time for such thinking…instead he focused on the longer haired male's tender movements rather than the pain he felt from being pierced with something so damn thick. Flynn tensed up as he bit down on the pillow below him, wishing the process wasn't so painful. But once again he was given another gentle gesture from the person above; this time he leaned over his, whispering reassuring things in his ear as he continued inward.

His warm breath against his ear caused him to shake slightly, but it definitely made things a little better. Upon feeling the unnamed man's body completely against him he knew his length was completely inside of him, the blonde still tense as he tried to get use to the feeling. He was thankful as all hell when the other male didn't start pounding into his instantly, because he was sure he'd probably pass out and that was the most embarrassing thing he could've done there. The stranger slowly pulled out before pushing back in at equal speed, his breath once again making its way into his ear as he told him to 'relax'. Easier said than done…

"F-Fuck…" As much as he hated cursing he saw it as an appropriate time to do so, his voice cracking slightly from the amount of strain he had put into speaking.

"E-Ease up a little, it'll be better for the both of us." The other male was panting in his ear, his body shaking as a response. That's what he continued to focus on, not the horrible feeling in his ass but the fact such a beautiful creature was breathing on him.

As a result he felt a little less friction when the other male's dick slide in and out of him, his tense body relaxing a bit as the feeling of pain began to lessen. They were still going at a rather slow pace, and after a while it became clear that the blonde was no longer satisfied with it. His voice cracked once again as he muttered the word 'harder', a small chuckle emitting from the long haired stranger as he removed himself from his back. Flynn kind of wanted him to stay, moaning into his ear as he pounded into him with great force. But he really lacked the verbal skills to protest at that moment, so he just lied there and waited for what was to come.

He jerked forward, letting out a loud moan as his body was roughly rocked back and forth, Flynn soon finding that there wasn't any real way for him to prepare himself for having his ass ravaged. But even if it was sudden he couldn't lie and say that he wasn't enjoying it, the stranger gripping his cheek as he relentless pounded into him. The headboard slammed into the wall behind it, the blonde moaning in time with it as he held back nothing. It was amazing just how much he had broken his 'no cursing' rule in one night, the word 'fuck' repeating itself more than a few times.

He was a completely different person that night, one who didn't give a damn about rules, strangers, and decency…and it felt amazing. His voice grew higher as the long haired stranger changed angles, his dick beginning to slam into the spot he had been probing with his fingers, Flynn going completely limp as he moaned for more. All he felt was pleasure, and the more he felt it was more he craved it, his voice crying out for more. The blonde was rather pleased when he felt the other male lean back over him, one of his hands grabbing onto the headboard as he fucked him harder. His breath came out in ragged pants as he drove his dick deeper into him, the hot air hitting his skin and making Flynn shake once more.

Upon feeling that he was nearing his peak the blonde bit down on his bottom lip, trying his best to hold it back so he could continue to experience the sweet, sweet pleasure that he was being given. But to be fucked so hard was truly putting his body at its limit, Flynn begging, _pleading_ for it to just give him a little more time before completely giving out. It didn't seem to work though…as soon as the other male changed angles, hitting his sweet spots and then some, he came hard. His back completely arched up, the sound of his voice filling his ears as his cum spilled onto the sheets blow him.

This didn't stop the long haired stranger from continuing his rapid pounding, the blonde groaning at his unrelenting motion. His body shook violently when he felt something hot enter him, the person over him cursing as he gave him a few more hard thrusts before completely pulling out. He could feel the hot liquid rolling down one of legs, reveling in the afterglow that was his first taste of sex. Flynn felt tired, but know that sleeping in a stranger's bed was out of the question, but he as least needed to take a small break. So he completely collapsed against the mattress, trying to calm himself down enough so he could locate his clothes.

The blonde felt the bed move after a while but thought nothing of it, Flynn listening to the footsteps against the hardwood floor as he tried his best to stay awake. It was clear that lying down only made things worse so he decided to at least get himself into a sitting position, the action causing him to learn that anal sex had unfortunate consequences. A sharp pain shot up his back, Flynn wincing as he leaned against the headboard, body wishing he had just stayed on his goddamn stomach.

"Hurts like shit doesn't it?" The blonde turned his head in the direction of the longer haired male's voice, finding him now clad in nothing more than a pair of boxers.

"Y-Yeah…" He muttered, barely catching the cloth that was tossed at him.

"Clean up, I'll see you out afterwards." He didn't sound in a hurry to get him out of his apartment, but that didn't mean it gave Flynn the right to lollygag. Carefully he cleaned himself, making sure he didn't get himself aroused as he wiped his member, legs and his rear-end.

His entire body was pretty sensitive from coming not once but twice, though he did manage to keep himself under control enough so that he didn't become stiff again. Setting the bath cloth aside he then began to locate his clothes, wondering how in the world his pants ended up underneath the bed. He took a little longer than he wanted to getting dressed, looking around to find the long haired stranger had disappeared once more. As he slipped his shirt over his head he finally began observing his surroundings, finding that the apartment was like one huge room.

It was clearly a studio, the only thing separating the room he was in from the supposed 'living room' being a small wall. Slipping his pants on he decided that getting out of the apartment was more important than studying it, though when he made his way to the front door the other male didn't look annoyed that he hadn't came out sooner. He looked more tired than anything else, a small smirk forming on his lips as he opened the door. Just as he was halfway out Flynn stopped, taking a moment to gather up enough nerve to turn and face the stranger.

"I still wanna know your name." Flynn's voice was a bit raspy, but he didn't let it bother him too much.

"Really, it's not something you should worry yourself over, Blondie-"

"It's Flynn…Scifo…now it's only right that you tell me yours, unless you're a complete asshole with no manners whatsoever."

The other male gave him a surprised look, it quickly turning into one of amusement as he began to laugh. He leaned against the door frame for support as he held his stomach, Flynn somewhat proud of himself for making him break down like that. When he was done he looked him up and down, a smirk returning to his lips as he made himself comfortable against the door frame, his arms crossing themselves as he cocked his head to the side.

"All right, _Flynn_ , I'll make a deal with you…if we meet in the bar again I'll tell you. Sound good?"

The blonde really didn't see anything wrong with that proposal so he agreed to it, deciding to take his leave since he was satisfied with where their conversation had gone. He felt like his head was in the clouds as he left the apartment complex, walking at an unhurried pace to the bus stop that would take him back home. Other than the pain in his lower half he felt damn good, though of course he couldn't really tell anyone just why. His little encounter would probably lead to him having a double life, but if it meant him getting rid of years of frustration then he really didn't mind…

And if he ran into the person who had rocked his world that night, he would gladly see it as an added bonus…


	2. Shot Two: Shackles

"You've been…acting kind of weird lately."

"Weird?"

"Yeah, but…I can't really put my finger on what it is."

Flynn was rather happy than he couldn't. He knew his teacher was an observant guy, but there were things that he didn't need to know about him. For instance the fact that he had been attending a gay bar in the middle of the night for the last two weeks wasn't something he'd tell just anyone, especially if said person was an adult. He was…enjoying his nightlife, even if it meant waking up groggy and sore in the morning. It was sometimes hard to explain to his mother why he walked with a slight limp in the morning, wishing the guys down at the bar were a little gentler with him during their sexual encounter.

But then again he really wasn't worried about the consequences when getting screwed.

His usual excuse was that he had slept the wrong way during the night, though sometime he liked to blame the bed in general for his limp. As much as Flynn would've been happy to say that he had never been caught coming back into the house at night, he couldn't…but at least he had prepared beforehand. For some odd reason he remembered that there was no milk at his house, so on his way back home he stopped at one of those twenty-four hour convenience store an picked up a gallon of the stuff. It pretty much saved his skin…Upon walking into the house his mother confronted him, panic-stricken as she screamed at him for an explanation.

Flynn froze, mind working overtime to figure out just what he could've said to the older woman that sounded plausible. Before he complete broke down and told her the truth he remembered the milk in his hand. Quickly he explained that he had gotten hungry in the middle of the night, and after finding out that they had no milk for cereal decided to go out and get some. There were quite a few holes in his story, one mainly being that he had never gotten up in the middle of the night and craved anything. But his little lie seemed to calm her down a bit, his mother furiously telling him not to scare her like that again.

She believed him for a simple reason…in the past he had rarely if ever lied to her, and as such she would probably believe anything he told her. This didn't mean he liked to however…it made his stomach churn horribly whenever he spouted bull to the person who had been so good to him over the years. But he had a good reason for not telling him that he had no interest in women; the last thing she needed in her life was more stress, and Flynn would be damned if he was the person to bring her over the edge. Doing what he did best was the only way to keep her happy, no matter how much it hurt him deep down.

During the day he tried to function as normally as he could, but sometime he just couldn't contain the smile that would randomly appear on his face. His friends teased him about it, though when they said his improved mood was due to him finally getting laid he instantly denied it…because it was only partially true. Other than screwing and getting screwed the fact that he finally had a place to just…unwind was also another reason for his slight mood change. Talking to other people about the real him just made Flynn feel so much better about life, and it had been some time since he had felt that way.

He didn't need to hide himself when he was at the bar, didn't need to be the perfect goddamn model of purity and didn't need to lie- well…He had lied about his age a few time, but only by a year…not that it made it better. Though he didn't lie all the time! Sometimes they never asked so therefore there was no reason for him to open his mouth and say anything. Even if he hadn't broken his old habit around people he felt comfortable with he knew it was only a matter of time, which would probably be around the time he actually did turn eighteen.

He had gotten a little more experience from the two weeks he had been visiting the club, mainly in the kissing department. Things like his performance in bed also improved, but because he didn't have sex on a daily basis it was a gradual change. Flynn had learned little things here and there when he slept with different guys, submitting to either position since he didn't really mind. Sure the blonde was forceful sometime, but they could be forceful right back too and that usually left him sore and wanting nothing more than to just sleep in when morning came. Different people liked different things, that was a given, but he found that if certain spots on the male body were hit the outcome was the same.

Other than sex he'd just make out with some guy on the dace floor or at the bar, thus how his make-out skills had improved. Flynn didn't worry about people staring at him, sneering because they believed what they were doing was wrong, because he knew the building was a safe place. It was a little awkward though, but those moments always made him forget about the blaring music, flashing lights and other people around him. Judith forever teased him about how 'bold' he had became, the blonde blushing when she pointed something like that out to him.

Although he was enjoying his nightlife there was one thing he wanted but hadn't yet obtained…the name of the person who had taken his virginity. For the two weeks he had been going he had not seen him, the blonde waiting patiently at the bar before someone decided to pick him up where he forgot about the long haired stranger temporarily…Even if he left with other men he always came back, always waited in the same seat if he could and always ordered the same drink. Every now and then he'd just stare at the cheery bobbing in his glass, it instantly taking him right back to the night he had met such a demanding presence.

Judith informed him that he'd probably be waiting for some time since the unnamed man's schedule was pretty random, though she added that after a few years she could 'tell' whenever he would make an appearance. But he still kept coming even if the odds seemed to be against him, because, well...they had made a promise. Flynn knew the other had no obligation to keep his word; in fact he was sure the other male had laughed at him as soon as he was out of his apartment. He was naive, the blonde knew this for a fact, but that didn't mean he had to become cynical to make up for it.

He still believed that people could be trusted and truthful, and it was for that very reason that he continued to wait. He would come, he just knew he would, and Judith seemed to find his perseverance to be rather 'interesting' as she put it. He wasn't really sure why...and it was because of his lack of understanding that the female bartender seemed to find him even more interesting. She was an oddball for sure...but at least she was kind.

"Maybe it's a girl, yeah, that has to be it." His teacher said, looking rather proud of himself as he glanced over at him.

"I can honestly say the only woman in my life right now is my mother." Finally the first truthful thing out of his mouth all day. His teacher eyed him suspiciously, but Flynn never gave up his straight face.

"Really…? Bummer…And here I was looking forward to one of my prim and proper students getting a social life." He sighed deeply, clearly disappointed with his failed observations...though Flynn was much more concerned with something else.

"Who says I don't have a social life?"

"Oh come on, I bet the only thing you do on the weekends is watch old movies with your mother."

Flynn really couldn't say anything because until recently he actually had been doing nothing over the weekend but watching old movies with his mother...but there was nothing wrong with that! In fact it was exactly what his mother needed...quality time with her son. His friends usually did invite him to do things over the weekend, but he never really took the opportunity to go with them, deciding that he probably should've been doing something else...like studying.

That wasn't to say that he believed he was too good for his friends and their activities, he just thought that he probably should've been using those two days off for something education. Thank god his thinking had changed…but for the time being he needed to make sure his teacher still believed that he lived a completely boring life…The blonde allowed himself to blush slightly, rather embarrassed about how he had been going about his life prior to his visit to the bar.

"Yeah, I get it, I'm boring…sorry to disappoint you, Mr.-"

"Hey, hey, I've told you before none of that formal stuff, it's Raven. I don't wanna feel old."

"But you are old."

The older male clinched his heart in a dramatic manner, saying that he had 'hit his weak point', Flynn not all that impressed with his theatrics. Even if he acted like an idiot sometimes the blonde could easily say that Raven was the easiest teacher for him to talk to, mostly due to the fact that he had known the man prior to his induction into high school. He was a family friend who had known his father for quite some time, and after the man's death Raven was nice enough to check in on him and his mother every now and then.

It was a bit odd having him as a teacher at first since he had been so informal with him in the past, but it seemed the older man was pretty damn lax when it came to his position as a teacher. Apparently all of his students called him Raven, which he never understood since his given name was Damuron Atomais. It made him pretty popular around the campus, plus his laid back attitude also earned him a few more points among the students. All in all he was the kind of teacher a student would've loved to hang out with, but Flynn wasn't there to get to know the 'cool' teacher more.

"Ah, right…how's your mother? Is she up and about?" Raven seemed to choose his words carefully, but there was no need…so Flynn just told the truth without pussyfooting around the issue.

"She's stable…she's been taking her pills like she should be and there hasn't been another incident…" Flynn stopped himself from speak since he didn't want to recall the last time his mother had a psychotic breakdown, because that involved the police and a little blood.

"That's good…and how are you feeling?"

The blonde didn't answer that question…because he was _tired_ of answering it. People didn't need to be concerned about him, since it was quite clear that his mother needed all the attention. He was the man of the house now…and because of that he didn't have time to play the 'why me?' card. He had taken over most of the duties of the house to lessen the load his mother had to do, but she was still in charge of cooking because it was one thing he never seemed to pick up from her.

"Okay, okay, I get it, just stop giving me that look." Raven ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his eyes clearly giving him a sympathetic look. The blonde had to look away; he really hated when people looked at him like that, because he had received enough of everyone's pity already.

"Look, I need to head home, so…"

"Sorry, I made you feel all weird and stuff, didn't I? It's just that I'm worried-"

"I'll tell my mother you'll be coming over later."

Flynn just wanted to get away from him, so he quickly retrieved his things and left through the door, not looking back or slowing as the older male continued to talk to him. Sometimes he really wished things hadn't turned out the way they had…but he had long since stopped himself from thinking about the things that could've been. The only thing that mattered to him was the now…and right now he needed to get home and work on his house chores. There wasn't too much to do, just clean around the living room and bathrooms and when he was done he would do his most important job…make sure his mother was in a good mood.

Standing by the bus stop that would take him home the blonde couldn't help but think about what he'd do later on that night, a small smile creeping its way onto his lips. Even if it was during the wee hours of the night he liked not having any kind of responsibility…he _liked_ being irresponsible. Well…even his recklessness had a limit, especially when it came to having sex with men he didn't know. Flynn had gotten into the habit of carrying around condoms whenever he went out, and buying them wasn't the easiest thing he had ever done.

Sure he had been through the contraceptive isle when grocery shopping, but to actually stop and look with the intent to buy was another thing. He glanced at the products available, deciding rather quickly that staying there was not in his best interest. So he just picked up the first thing his hand landed on, making sure it was at the bottom of his basket as he filled it other, much less conspicuous, things. But apparently he wasn't getting out of it that easily…

While at checkout apparently there was something wrong with the pack of rubbers he had picked up, thus leading the older man who had rung them up to call for a price check. Flynn damn near fainted from the embarrassment as he felt all eyes on him. As soon as everything was bagged he quickly left, a deep blush spread across his cheek as he ran home. Once there he swore that the next time he needed condoms he'd stock up on them. And he did…because buying them in bulking and getting eyed by the cashier was a small price to pay so that he didn't need to go back for a while.

"Oh, I thought you had gone home already, Flynn." He turned to find someone he hadn't seen since lunch time, the blonde smiling a bit as she stood next to him.

"Yeah, Raven wanted to talk to me about my mood lately…he said it was because of a girl."

"Is it?"

"If it was you'd be the first to know, Estelle."

She giggled a bit, the action causing the smile on the blonde's face to brighten a bit more. He had known Estelle since the age of ten, and without a shadow of a doubt she was his closest friend. She wasn't like his guy friends who hounded him about things he wasn't doing, the shorter girl just accepted him and his lack of social life. Then again she accepted a lot about him…which was why he had thought about telling her that he was gay countless time. The first thing she'd probably do was yell at him, not because he liked men (at least he hoped not) but because he had been keeping it from her for so long.

It was all nothing but assumptions, and it was the main reason he kept his mouth shut. Flynn didn't want to start losing close friends just because of his sexual preferences, so taking a chance just wasn't in his best interest. The blonde had tried hinting it to her though…but because he had forgotten that Estelle could be as dense as a brick sometimes his tip-offs fell on deaf ears.

"So…how was practice?" He asked since she was still wearing her volleyball uniform, Estelle quickly groaning as a result.

"It was horrible! The coach nearly ran us ragged…and I got hit in the chest and shin with the ball." Her whole demeanor took a complete one-eighty turn, but then again that usually happened when they spoke about the sport she in no way wanted to be involved with.

"That sounds tough…I wish your dad would just let you join a cultural club…"

"I know…"

Estelle wasn't a sporty person, never had been and probably never would be, but her father seemed to believe that there was some hope for the girl. He had forced her to join one of the sports teams, which resulted in her having a terrible mood after school. Flynn hated seeing her like that…but at least she'd be free from it in a few months. Graduation was so close, and once that time came she'd be freed from ever having to participate in another team sport. They had already been accepted into college so it was really only a matter of waiting, though not much would really change for the blonde after leaving high school.

Other than getting lost in his first week at the university, nothing else would be all that different; he would to keep his grades up much like he had in high school, speak to his friends whenever he found the time, study hard and continue to make sure his mother was stable. It seemed bland but at least he had some entertainment to look forward to during the night.

"You're doing it again." Estelle seemed to get closer to him, her words snapping him out of his own thoughts.

"Huh? Doing what?"

"Smiling for no reason."

Ah, it seemed he was giving off that goofy smile again, but he really couldn't help it. He was acting like a complete idiot and he couldn't tell people why, and it made him feel even more like a child keeping a precious secret from the world. Well…that's pretty much what he was doing: keeping a dirty little secret from everyone he knew and actually loving the hell out of it. There were definitely times when he wanted to just open up to someone about what was going on during his late night social life, but other than that he was rather surprised at how much he enjoyed leaving people wondering about him.

"Come on Flynn, I wanna know!" Her eagerness didn't take him by surprise, but he didn't want to screw himself over and make his best friend pretty much hate his very existence.

"I'll tell you one day, promise." Flynn was a little taken aback when the shorter girl gave him a good, long, hard look, but when she was finished she merely sighed and gave him an 'all right' as a response. He would definitely tell her…but only when he had gathered enough courage to actually open his mouth and not skirt around the issue like he had before.

He needed to be blunt about it since it was pretty much the only way Estelle was going to get it, though he would without a doubt withhold the information about him frequenting a gay bar at night. Hell, he probably wouldn't tell anyone about that until he obtained a steady boyfriend…if that was even possible for him. Every guy he had slept with he felt nothing but lust for, though he would admit that he felt a little more lustful when he was with the unnamed person who had taken his virginity.

Flynn always thought about his first time fondly, because even if he knew his performance during the whole thing was weak and slightly embarrassing he enjoyed every minute of it. Both he and Estelle talked for a bit more before his bus came, the smaller of the two saying her goodbyes as he boarded. It wasn't terribly crowded, the blonde managing to find a seat near the middle of the vehicle. Because it was next to a window he gently pressed his cheek against the cool surface, closing his eyes for a bit as he thought about just how many more days he would spend in that damnable high school.

It had become so tiring…he dealt with it in the past, seeing the four, long, hard years of high school as a means to help him in the real world. But now that he had received a small taste of freedom he found himself bored with his trivial school life…It was probably wrong of him to indulge so heavily in something he found pleasurable, but…his inner beast had been let loose and it was starving.

Five stops later he had finally reached the one he needed to get off of, walking a block away where he finally reached his house. Something was clearly off…His mother's car was in the driveway, and since she wasn't supposed to be home for some time he began to worry. Had something happened? Instead of standing out front and wondering he made his way inside, making sure he was extra cautious as he walked around the house. The last time she had come home early things didn't turn out well; apparently her boss had sent her home to retrieve an important report she had been working on for months but had forgotten back at the house, his mother taking it as a form of failure on her part.

Since he had the day off Flynn witnessed her trying her best to keep it together, but it was quite clear that whatever she was trying to do wasn't working at all. He became much more concerned when she began pacing back and forth, muttering to herself as he ran her fingers through her honey colored hair. He should've known better than to approach her when in such a state, but his worry made him forget just what kind of woman his mother became when she acted like that. He was slapped first, but when he didn't succumb to the older woman's abuse he was shoved a few times before hitting a wall. She shook him after that, saying that he was in the way and that she wanted to be left alone.

Yes, he was afraid, he always was when she became like that, but he had learned that showing fear was the worst possible thing for him to do. If he cowered and his mother came back to her senses she would instantly feel regret, not at all helping her mood. Slipping into the living room he didn't see her curled up on the couch so that meant her mood probably wasn't as bad as he thought, Flynn deciding to move on to the kitchen. It was there that he found her, seated at the kitchen table as she rested her cheek against her folded arms. Slowly he walked over to the older woman, kneeling down beside her before gently rubbing her back.

"Hey…" He said in a small voice, not wanting to alarm her at all, "Mom, wake up…"

Hazel slowly met blue, his mother's eyes slightly unfocused as she stared at him for a moment.

"…Finath…?" Even if he knew she wasn't aware of her surrounding just yet it didn't stop his entire body from going ridged, mind telling him that he had gone through this before…but for some reason he just couldn't become accustomed to it.

"No Mom, it's me…Flynn…" Her eyes began to focus a little more when he said that, and the younger blonde couldn't help but feel dejected when he saw disappointment reflected in those deep, hazel eyes of hers.

"Flynn…oh, Honey, I'm sorry…"

"It's fine, really…Did something happen at work? I mean you're home pretty early…"

When she shook her head the younger blonde let out a small sigh, relived that nothing had happened in the office.

"They just let us out early…"

"Okay…come on, let's get you up to bed, sleeping here will hurt your back."

Flynn still kept his hand on her back as he helped her up, leading his mother out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Once in her room he sat her down on the bed, removing the older woman's shoes before laying her back on the mattress. It didn't take long for her to nod back off to sleep, Flynn quietly shutting the door before leaning against it. His mother was ill…but even if he knew this actually admitting just how bad her condition was to the doctors could've had dire consequences. She could've easily been put in an institution, and the last thing he wanted was to visit his mother in an ungodly white room while she was heavily medicated.

He wouldn't let that happen to her…

Since he was already on the second floor he decided to start cleaning the bathroom, taking out everything he needed before going to work. He made sure everything damn near sparkled before moving on to the next one on the first floor, and since it was smaller it took less time cleaning it than the other. When he moved onto the living room he made sure to use the low noise vacuum cleaner so he didn't wake his mother, but it meant the job would take longer to finish. It was a small price to pay for making sure the older woman had some kind of peace, so he just hooked it up and went to work.

The younger blonde made sure to get every nook and cranny, even the corners of the ceiling where those pesky cobwebs liked to gather. If there was one thing Flynn couldn't stand it was cobwebs. While reaching under the couch, since there were certain things even the vacuum hose couldn't reach, his fingers graced something that clearly wasn't a lost sock, escaped utensil or an old pair of eyes glasses. It felt like some sort of paper, and as he pulled it out from its hiding place his heart sunk a bit. It was a picture of his family, taken when he was much younger and his mother and father had taken him to the aquarium.

The three of them were standing in front of a tank of tropical fish; Flynn so small he needed to be placed on his father's shoulders to see the fish near the top. What broke his heart was that his father's face, like in so many other photos they owned, had been completely cut out, the younger blonde not completely sure what his mother did with the pieces after she had removed them. Flynn was sure that he owned the only photograph in the house where his father's face hadn't been cut out, the picture safely nestled at the bottom of the last drawer in his dresser, clearly out of plain view.

He knew his mother would never look there because he was in charge of putting the clothes away, though some clothes like his mother's undergarments were left for her to deal with. Tucking the picture into his pant pocket he continued on with his cleaning, wondering once again just why his mother acted the way she did. One minute she'd be cursing at him for bringing up anything that had to do with 'that man', but then the next she'd be bawling her eyes out and confusing him for the deceased blonde. He just…didn't get it…but then again since his father's death her behavior had confused and down right frightened him at times.

It was about an hour and a half before he was done with everything, the younger blonde deciding that he was in dire need of a shower. So he made his way up to the second floor since it was the only bathroom in the house that had a tub. As he began stripping his clothes off Flynn couldn't help but look at himself in the mirror, noticing a few of the marks he had received from the night before. They weren't too bad, but it still looked like he had been eaten alive by mosquitoes. He always received the worst ones on his neck, which was why he had taken up the habit of wearing turtlenecks whenever he went to school.

It was easy to explain since the weather had been so fickle, but he had to wonder what would happen when summer came around…Stripping away the rest of his clothes he ran the water for the tub, making sure it was the temperature he wanted it to before stepping in. The water hitting his body felt good, and he made sure to scrape the thin layer grim that had built up on his body while cleaning. His mind seemed to wander over to random things like his friends, school projects, the ever inquisitive Raven and the bar, contemplating, like always, if it was okay to leave the house.

Before leaving the house he always considered his mother's mood before venturing out into the night, because he didn't want to leave her in an unstable state while he had a great time getting himself involved in promiscuous activities. Not only would that have been completely selfish on his part but completely stupid, because if anything were to happen to his mother while he was away 'playing' he'd never forgive himself. But for the last two weeks she had been in good spirits, only snapping at him whenever he tried to take a chore away from her. There were times when Flynn couldn't stop her from doing what she wanted, but he made sure to watch her closely and make sure she didn't get too frustrated.

Since everything seemed all right with his mother he deciding to go out, wondering like he always did if he'd meet the still unnamed stranger from the night before. His fingers twitched a bit whenever the blonde thought about him, deciding that he needed to get out of the shower as soon as possible. Sure he could've just dealt with his ragging hormones in the shower, but he liked to be completely comfortable before he got down to business. Rinsing the soap suds from his body he stepped out from the shower, grabbing a towel from under the sink before he began to wipe the water away from his skin.

Because he was in a hurry he missed a few spots, but made sure not to lead of trail of water to his room in fear that his mother would wake and wonder why he had been so careless. Granted the only thing she could do was knock on his door since his room had a lock, but if he didn't have said lock he wasn't quite sure how he'd react to his mother finding him masturbating. He'd probably scream first, than try to cover himself up with his blanket and claim that it 'wasn't what it looked like'. He chuckled a bit when he thought about it, wondering just how many men across the county had actually been in such a situation.

Plopping down on his bed he ran his fingers through his still damp hair, lying back as he thought about the cute brunette he had met three days ago. He was so shy, barely keeping eye contact as they spoke and always blushing heavily when Flynn said something complementing his appearance. But for all of his meekness he was pretty damn loud during sex, the blonde trying his damn hardest to not laugh when the guy he was penetrating started to sound like a bad porno movie. Sure he expected a few 'harder' and 'faster' comments, hell he made them himself, but nothing along the lines of 'oh baby, fuck me harder! Fuck me with your rock hard cock! I want it!'…

Flynn was sure he probably would've been dying of laughter if he wasn't too busy screwing another guy.

Even with his ridiculous antics during sex, the blonde couldn't deny that the guy was good looking. Fingers twitched at his side again, and as they inched their way up his tight he stared down at his member. He had leaned how to control his body a little better but still became hard easily, something he wanted to deal with so he could drag out his sexual experiences a little longer. He let out a small groan as he wrapped his fingers around his cock, thoughts of the brunette from the other night filling his head he began to stroke himself.

Like always he started off in a slow manner, imagining that his hand was actually the soft, moist lips of another male, going down on him as their head bobbed in the usual motion. Now that he actually knew what it felt like to have his dick in someone's mouth it was a little harder for his mind to get it right, but as long as he got off there wasn't that much of a problem. Running his thumb again the slit of his cock he shook a little, biting down on his bottom lip to make sure he didn't release too many of his cries. There was always the chance his mother would've woken up early, knocking on the door because she heard something 'odd' coming from his room.

Flynn was a creature of habit, and he knew his mother was well aware of this. Because she was ever vigilant about his behavior he was sure she had noticed that something was up with him, which was why he needed to be a little more careful with the activities he performed behind closed doors. If she became too suspicious of things than there was chance she'd begin to keep a more watchful eye on him, and at this point in time he really didn't want his nightly antics to be restricted. His hand sped up a bit, hips bucking into it as he turned his head to the side. His eyes were closed, breath coming out in short burst as he thought about that night and a few others.

The blonde growled a bit after a while, a little frustrated when just stroking himself didn't seem to be getting him where he wanted to be. Since his bed was placed against a wall he propped himself up against it, using his other hand to cup his balls as he rolled them in time with his strokes. Ah, there it was…he had finally recreated that deep, unforgettable feeling in the pit of his stomach that he usually got during sex. It radiated up his spine and caused his entire body to shiver, thoughts fogging over as his mouth became slack. He moaned and whimpered into the cool air of his room, wanting so badly for someone else to touch him at that moment.

But if he was patient he'd get what he wanted later on that night.

"Shit…" He muttered under his breath as he increased his speed, knowing full well he'd probably only last another few seconds. He lurched forward, back arching as he spilled his seed into his hand. Lying against his mattress he tried to get his breathing under control, body satisfied but still hungry.

Cleaning himself up with the towel he had brought along, Flynn finally decided that it was about time he put some clothes on. Since the blonde wasn't going anywhere until later that night he slipped into his house cloths, consisting of nothing more than a pair of black shorts a blue t-shirt. Tomorrow would definitely be wash day, because he only had enough clothes to get him through school the next day.

And speaking of school…The blonde quickly removed himself from his room, just remembering that he needed to inform his mother of the parent-teacher conference at the end of the week. He really wanted her to go…but there was always the chance of her bursting into hysterics or just downright snapping. But it was a risk he was willing to take…he wanted her to be an active part of his life, not hidden behind closed door away from the public eye. Peeking into her room he had apparently gotten her at a good time; she was sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes as she muttered something about her makeup.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Flynn sat on the edge of the bed, noting his mother's groggy state as he did so. She merely nodded at his comment, swinging her legs over the side of the bed to sit next to him.

"Yeah, I did…" His mother leaned against him, head on his shoulder and thumb gently caressing the skin on his hand. Flynn never allowed the older woman's actions to go any further than that…and quite frankly he wasn't really sure just how far she'd take things, but he wasn't going to sit there and find out.

"There's a parent-teacher conference on Friday…can you make it?"

"What time is it…?"

"Six."

"I should be able to then."

Even if that wasn't a definite 'yes', especially given just how many random things came up in his mother's schedule, but to just hear her say it was enough to get him optimistic. She then looked over at him, making a small joke that she wanted to hear what dirty little secrets his teachers had to say about him. If only. Flynn was an A-B student, and the only bad thing his teachers probably had to say about him was that his attention seemed to wander during class recently.

"Don't worry; I do my best to behave in school, Mom." And then his cheek was gently stroked, the younger blonde noticing the slightly glazed look in his mother's eyes.

"I know…you're such a good boy…"

"Mom…stop…" He gently grabbed her wrist, bringing her hand down as he gave her a sympathetic look, "Its Flynn…not dad."

She stared at him for a few seconds before backing off, the older woman's head dropping before she covered her face with her hands. She then asked if he thought she was sick, Flynn hesitating for a bit since he didn't want to make her lose it because of his answer. Lying was his forte after all…but even if he saw the action she wanted to commit as completely sickening, he knew his mother was just someone in need of more help than what she was currently getting.

"No…I don't think you're sick…" It took him a moment to figure out just what kind of hug his mother was giving him, but soon relaxed into it when he figured it was a normal, mother-son hug.

"I'm so sorry…"

He knew…Flynn always knew…


	3. Shot Three: Housing

This time he wasn't going to blame himself…it wasn't his fault for what had gone down that night. Flynn would, however, take responsibility for not noticing the signs, for ignoring the fact that mother was acting _different_. Maybe it was the spring air that was affecting his better judgment…but whatever the reason he wasn't at fault…

Spring break was one of the few times he actually allowed himself relax, the other few being part of his summer vacation, Thanksgiving and Christmas. His favorite pastime when not studying was just relaxing on the couch, the other being going out Estelle or his guy friends. Mingling the two just hadn't worked that well in the past…His male friends would often tease the smaller girl because of her oblivious nature, and even if some of the things they said were true, he just didn't like the way they voiced their opinions.

They also liked to joke that the two of them were going out, which was fine and all but he didn't want Estelle getting any ides. The small girl suddenly confessing that she loved him would've been the worst possible outcome, because breaking her heart would've broken him. Flynn wouldn't be able to look her in the eye anymore if he did, thus leading to an obvious strain in their relationship. Sure he could've lied like he usually did, date Estelle and fridge happiness while he went behind her back slept with men…but that wasn't right.

He wasn't that kind of person…he didn't want to hurt her so badly that he felt disgusted with himself. So the easiest thing was to make sure she had her eye on someone else, or at least make sure her feelings were never realized. A day before the incident he had spent most of his time being dragged around the mall by Estelle, the blonde hating the word 'sale' by the time the day was over. Since he was so tuckered out he decided to just crash on the couch for an hour before hauling his ass upstairs.

Sleep felt good, his sore feet finally getting a well deserved rest as he stretched out on the couch like a sunbathing feline. Everything was fine until he received a rather uncomfortable feeling, the blonde fidgeting until he finally decided to wake up. Upon opening his eyes he found his mother staring down at him, Flynn stiffening a bit as he asked her if anything was wrong. She merely shook her head before leaving, the small smile she had on her face so unnerving that the blonde couldn't help but shake a bit. Throughout the night he caught the older woman just… _looking_ at him, and that wouldn't have been so much of a problem is he hadn't noticed just what was reflected in those eyes of hers…

Desperation…and for his mother to look like that something was definitely brewing inside of her…It was for this reason that he was cautious the next day, but nothing could prepared him for his mother's sudden behavior change. The two of them were just sitting on the couch, and since it was Sunday that meant black and white mystery movie night. Just as the plot was thickening he felt his mother's hand on his leg, and before he could say anything he was pushed onto his back, head hitting the arm of the couch in a painful manner. He tried to stop her like he usually did, telling her that he wasn't his father and that her feelings were completely misplaced.

But something was wrong…her demeanor didn't change at all, and when she gave him that same unsettling smile he knew he was in trouble. The horror of the situation didn't fully set in until his mother looked him dead in the eye, saying that it was 'Flynn who had died that night and not _him_ '. In that moment he knew that his mother had truly lost it, that she had fooled herself into believing that he was his father. The younger blonde stared up at her, feeling not only fear but deep, seeded regret, pain, and above all else _**hate**_.

Things were already out of control, and when he was kissed the younger blonde knew he needed to get the hell out of there. Quickly he pushed on her shoulders, getting enough distance between the two of them so he could slide out from under her and down onto the floor. He tried to quickly get up and run, but she grabbed the back of his shirt, bringing him back down to the ground where she hugged his waist. Flynn could've easily elbowed her off, calling the cops once free, but…even in her crazed state she was still his mother…He tried one last time to plead to her, trying to tell her that he was _Flynn_ her _son_ , but she merely smiled up at him once more.

To hear his mother once again deny his existence made his chest ache terribly, but he at least saw an opening for him to run. When she placed her palm on his face, gently stroking his cheek the younger blonde slapped her hand away before getting up and running for the door. And he didn't stop running. He just wanted to get as far away from the house as possible, afraid to look back in fear that his mother was actually chasing him. It was only the second time in his life he actually feared going back home…and just like before the house itself wasn't the cause.

Flynn finally stopped when his legs buckled from the strain of his fast pace, tumbling to the ground where he made a full stop upon slamming into the side of a building. His body trembled, legs throbbing as he tried to catch his breath. A few people came over to him, asking if he was alright as if he needed an ambulance. No…he wasn't going to the hospital…they'd definitely call his mother if he did. The smile he gave was completely strained, quickly telling the concerned people that he was alright and that help wasn't necessary. He cringed as he came to his feet, staggering away as he tried to think about just what he needed to do.

Going anywhere he needed to explain himself wasn't an option, so his friends were completely out of the question. So then what? His nearest family was five-hundred miles away, and he obviously lacked the funds to get to them. Staying with Raven was a big no, because he wouldn't hesitate for a second to call the cops…and he still didn't want to see the other woman locked up. There was a more desperate action he could've taken, and by the looks of things it seemed it was the only option he had. Flynn cursed not having more connections in his life, but there was no point in crying over things he couldn't change.

He found out fairly quickly that the streets were not kind to someone like him…and it only took two days for him to figure out that he didn't belong there. The chilled air of the night did nothing for him, especially since he had ran out of the house wearing pretty much nothing but his night clothes. A coat would've been great, but to actually get one he needed to go back home…and that wasn't going to happen when he knew his mother was waiting. Maybe in the morning…his mother might've been out of her mind, but she wasn't crazy enough to miss work, so he could easily sneak back in when she wasn't there and get what he needed.

He wasn't going to stay. In fact the mere thought of him sleeping in that house and waking up to his mother doing unspeakable things to him made his body shudder, the blonde holding his stomach as he remembered what she had already done to him. The real problem came when he needed to rest, Flynn soon figuring out why he had little to no interest in camping. Sleeping on the ground was painful, and since he wanted some kind of peace from shop owners yelling at him to move he had to make do with an alleyway. The smell was unbearable, Flynn having to cover his nose with his shirt in order to get some kind of ventilation.

Sleep didn't come easy to him, in fact he was surprised when he managed to close his eyes longer than five minute. But it didn't stay like that, oh no, and it was at that moment that he knew he needed to come up of a different game plan. Getting mugged was scary as hell, but getting the shit beaten out of him because he lacked anything worth stealing really made him give up on the whole living on the street idea. As he lay on the ground, body sore and bloody, he knew he needed help…or at least advice on what he should've been doing. So he weakly got to his feet, staggering a bit as he made his way to one of the few places he felt comfortable in.

The bar.

Once inside he felt safe, and even if he received a few strange looks from the people around him he was happy. He took his usual seat at the bar, placing his head down against the cool wooden table as he finally allowed himself to relax. After a while Flynn felt a gentle hand on top of his head, knowing full well who it belonged to even before he looked up. Judith quickly drew her hand back, and it didn't take him long to realize that it was because of his appearance. She called over to the other bartender that she would be taking a short break, Flynn getting up from his seat as she motioned for him to follow her. He was taken into a brightly lip backroom, Judith seating him in a rather uncomfortable chair before she left.

Closing his eyes the blonde leaned back a bit; it was somewhat sad to think that his only safe haven that night was a gay bar, but then his mind reminded him that he couldn't stay there. His body jolted slightly when he felt something wet against his face, quickly opening his eyes to find the female bartender gently dragging a wet cloth against it. He knew she would question him about his condition; anyone would when they got a good look at him, but after telling her he fidgeted slightly when asked just what he was doing in a back alley so late. As much as he didn't want to worry her, the time for that had long since passed. Flynn told her that he feared going home, but made sure to leave out the reason for his fear out of his explanation.

Judith gave him a sad sigh, saying that if she could she would've loved nothing more than to welcome him into her place. He figured as much…Maybe he would've just sucked it up and gone home, since there was a chance that his mother had come to her sense. But the more he thought about setting foot in that house with his mother there, the more he shook, Flynn having to burying his face in his palm as a means to calm himself down. No…he wasn't going back…not until after his mother had left. But that still left him with the same problem…where would he go? He was out of options and-

He must've been hit harder than he thought, because the blonde had thought up the craziest idea when speaking to her…Smiling a little he told the female bartender that everything would be fine, or at least he hoped it would be. And it was with that last sliver of hope that he dragged himself out of the bar, currently sitting in front of the apartment of a man he didn't know that name of. He prayed to every deity he could think of that things worked out, because if not…no…he wouldn't think about that. Having knocking countless times Flynn had come to the conclusion that no one was home, and it had been a full hour since then.

"What the hell am I doing…?" It was a great question, and as he muttered it to himself he really began to wonder. What the hell _was_ he doing? Flynn would admit that what he was trying to do was the craziest thing he had ever done in his life, even more so than attending a gay bar and getting laid.

Staying with someone he didn't even know could've easily lead him into a bad situation, but right now any place with four walls and heat seemed tempting. Ah, right, and food. He hadn't actually had anything to eat for two days, and his stomach groaned loudly as he remembered. Flynn knew it wasn't a very long time to be out on the streets, but there were a lot of other things to consider besides his well-being. School, friends, his responsibilities…he couldn't just abandon them because he feared his mother. He needed a plan…The blonde had already said he'd go back when his mother was around, so he just found it easier to elaborate on that.

After going home he would return to his house duties, cleaning everything he could before leaving to return to what he hoped would be his temporary housing. When school started back up he would go back home to get ready, and once it had ended would return only to clean. If his mother happened to be home he would flee, not daring to take a chance and see if she was better. Her breakdown wasn't like that last time…that he could take, but this…this was different…Running his fingers through his hair he tried to calm his inner thoughts down, hating the words the older woman spewed whenever she became distraught.

The worst part was that he wasn't sure if everything she said was a lie…if she truly believed that things would've been better off if he had died and not his father. Did she? Flynn had spent hours holed up in his room thinking about the question, only to find that his mind wandered over to dark places he knew it shouldn't have. Why wasn't…he good enough…? Shaking his head he tried to get those kind questions out of his head, deciding to leave them for another day. Letting out a deep sigh the blonde shifted in his sitting position near the wooden door, wondering just how long the unnamed stranger would take.

Flynn was tired, and as he tilted his head back a bit he felt himself slowly begin to lose consciousness, but knew that it was in his best interest to not completely fall asleep. The hallway was warm, so he didn't need to huddle for warmth like he did when outside, the blonde allowing the heat to seep into his sore body. Judith could only do so much for him so he was sure he was still bleeding in some places, and given how much his stomach throbbed with pain that clearly wasn't hunger he knew there was probably a bruise there. He had been kicked pretty hard, and it was a little surprising that he hadn't vomited…

But then again you needed something in your stomach to really do that…or else the outcome wasn't pretty.

"Um…" Flynn instantly opened his eyes, looking to see a rather confused longer haired male staring down at him. He quickly got to his feet, stumbling at bit before regaining his balance.

"I-I…you, um, probably don't remember me-"

"Virgin blonde from about a month ago, yeah I remember you, though I guess you're not a virgin anymore."

Flynn's words were caught in his throat, but with a quick cough he managed to dislodge them.

"Y-Yeah…um…I know we don't know each other at all, but…" He struggled a bit with his wording a bit, knowing just how absurd what he was about to ask was.

"…Is this a declaration of love…? Because if so I'm gonna need you to leave…"

"What? N-no! It's nothing like that! I-I just…need a place to stay."

Silence fell between the two of them, Flynn nervously shuffling a bit under the gaze of the other male. He probably thought he was crazy…the blonde knew he would if he was in the unnamed man's position.

"…And you came here for that? Don't you have friends or family members you can stay with…?" Flynn merely shook his head, saying that he couldn't return home at the moment because of 'family issues'. Yes, it was vague, but he needed to be…and when asked why his friends were no longer and option he was vague as well.

The longer haired male sighed as he crossed his arms, the plastic bag he was holding rustling against his hand. He didn't look particularly irritated…in fact he looked as if he was contemplating the situation. His eyes looked him over from top to bottom, Flynn jumping a bit when he suddenly grabbed his chin, turning his head from side to side. After muttering a small 'shit' he removed his hand, rooting around in his pocket soon after.

"Come on, I'd be a pretty big bastard if I turned you away." Flynn wasn't even aware at how tense he had been until his entire body let out one, big sigh. He followed the other male into his apartment, thanking him as he did so. But to be completely honest there weren't enough words in the English vocabulary to express just how grateful he was to him.

"You can have the couch, but first take a bath, you smell like a trash heap."

"Um…where-"

"It's the door on the left, you seriously can't miss it."

With a small nod the blonde made his way to the right door, all the while feeling as if something was watching him. Sure it could've been the person who had invited him into their apartment, but it felt…different than that. Shaking it off he entered the bathroom, the long haired stranger calling out to tell him that he'd leave clean clothes by the door. Stripping off his filthy garments he folded them before placing them on the floor, gazing upon the bathtub as if it was a long lost friend. Turning the water on the blonde began to fill it, looking around for anything that looked like it would hold washcloths and towels.

Under the sink seemed like the most plausible place, and upon opening the small wooden doors he was rather relieved to find what he was looking for. Looking around a stranger's bathroom didn't seem like that great of an idea, because someone could learn certain… _things_ about people that they didn't necessarily need to know. Closing the wooden doors he returned to the now full tub, stepping into the hot water and easing himself down until he sat. Flynn let out a groan, sinking a bit lower so that his head rested on the back of the slick rim of the tub. He took his time, soaking in the water before he decided to clean himself.

Now that he was naked he decided to see just how much damage was done to his body…It wasn't as bad as he thought, but he couldn't say that it was 'light' damage. There was definitely a discolored spot on his stomach, and as he pressed down on it gently he winced. That was going to leave a nasty bruise, one that would probably last two to three weeks. There were a few scraps along his body, a few older ones from the day he had tumbled while running and much newer ones from when he was mugged.

Some of the newer ones had closed up, the rest still bleeding a long with a few of the older ones that had been reopened. He'd definitely need to put something on those…Other than that his muscle just ached, and he was sure that when he got himself a descent amount of sleep that problem would've been take care of. After locating the soap he began to wash, making sure he was extra gentle when he came to those sore spots. It took him longer than it probably should've, but he wanted to make sure there was no trace of the smell that had plagued him. It was god-awful and embarrassing as all hell, but now that it was gone he didn't need to worry about it anymore.

It was rather gross to watch the dirty water swirl down the drain, and as the blonde dried himself off he swore to himself that he'd never allow himself to ever get that filthy again. He remembered that the still unnamed male said something about clothes near the door, but when he opened it he wasn't exactly expecting to see the sight before him. It was a dog, and a rather large one at that, its dark eyes staring up at him with such intensity that it was almost frightening. Even if it seemed a bit intimidating Flynn would admit that it was a gorgeous animal; it looked like a wolf, its coat almost completely brownish-red exact for the crème coloring around his legs, underbelly, face and part of it's tail.

He really wouldn't have given the dog any mind if it hadn't been for the fact that its paw was resting on the stack of clean cloths he needed to wear, Flynn not completely sure if he should've reached down and gotten them or not. Leaning down he slowly placed his hand on them, noticing that the dog merely followed his movement rather than growling at them. In fact it didn't make a sound at all…The blonde made sure to remove the cloths bit by bit from under the dog's paw, and once it had been dislodge he didn't wait to see what the animal did.

He closed the door, wondering if the dog was still sitting outside the door but not daring to go and check just yet. As he began putting the clothes he had been given on, which consisted of a pair of boxers, dark colored sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt, he found them to be a smidge too big. It wasn't anything too-too noticeable, just that the sleeves came down a little over his knuckles than they probably should've. He solved the problem by simply rolling them up, hoping it wasn't too noticeable.

Peeking out of the door he found the large dog waiting for him, and because staying in the bathroom wasn't an option he gathered his dirty clothes and slowly slid his way out. The dog followed close behind him, Flynn very uncomfortable with the whole thing. He knew if it had wanted to bite him it would've, but there was also the chance that it was waiting for a good opportunity to…

"Repede, get over here."

And just like that the dog was gone, trotting over to his owner with its tail wagging.

"Sorry about that, he's not use to seeing my one night stands again." Flynn merely gave a small 'a-ah' to the comment, glancing back at the dog as he did so.

"So, um…what kind of dog is he?" Well if he was going to be there all night he might as well start up a conversation. He probably should've asked for the name of the longer haired male, but apparently that had completely slipped his mind…

"He's a Japanese Akita Inu, found him when he was a puppy," The now named Repede gave out a happy yelp at the comment, the long haired stranger giving him a small pat on the head before turning back to him, "Anyway, there's food on the table."

"Food?"

"Yeah, you know, the stuff you eat?"

Flynn knew what he meant; he just didn't think the other male would've gone that far for him. The blonde thanked him again, moving into what was clearly the kitchen area while under the watchful eye of Repede. The large wall that he had observed from his last visit seemed to be the only thing separating the kitchen from the bedroom, the lack of doors (excluding the bathroom) was a completely new thing for him. Sitting down at the table he gazed down at the plate of spaghetti before him, mouth practically salivating as the smell filled his nose. But just because he was hungry didn't mean he had forgotten his manners.

"Have as much as you want, I make pasta in bulk so I don't have to cook the rest of the week." The blonde watched as the other male sat across from him, placing his cheek against the palm of his head as he stared at him. It was a bit uncomfortable to be watched while he was eating, but he managed to pick up his fork and dig in.

"I'm really sorry to inconvenience you like this," He spoke after a few forkfuls of food, "I'll get a job and help you with the rent if you want, I mean it's the least I could do to repay you…"

"You don't have to be so formal with me…hell, I'm still wondering why you're acting so damn shy, given that we've already slept together." Flynn coughed a bit at the comment, knowing that his behavior was bit off but only because he had asked for something so outrageous.

"S-Sorry, it's just…it's kind of embarrassing asking a stranger for help…" He trailed off a bit, noticing the change in the other male's appearance as he did so.

"Ah, right, I guess you don't know my name…which would probably make this a little less awkward."

Flynn held his breath a bit, the moment he had been waiting for finally arriving…

"It's Yuri, Yuri Lowell."

And how anticlimactic it was…Flynn was rather surprised that he felt nothing…that all his waiting had left him with an empty feeling that could be best described as 'neutral'. Then again he wasn't expecting his heart to start pounding or any other reaction that clearly indicated that he had feelings for the other him. The blonde could easily say he wasn't in love, which was why the longer haired male's comment was so startling. A declaration of love? Like he'd ever do that…

"So am I still an asshole with no manners?"

"No, you're not." He couldn't help but laugh a little, surprised that Yuri had managed to remember that.

"I need to get back to work, so just put the dishes in the sink when you're done and the couch is ready whenever you get tired." With that he removed himself from the kitchen table, Flynn watching as he walked away and into the living room. He sat down at a small desk, moving his mouse a bit to wake his computer up before he began to type something.

As curious as he was about the longer haired male work, he didn't have the nerve to ask at the moment. The time to ask would probably come naturally, so he didn't fret over it too much. After another plate full of food he was completely satisfied, placing his dishes in the sink like he was told before making his way into the living room. There was a pillow and blanket awaited him upon sitting down on the couch, though before he could even think about sleeping he needed to stay up a few minutes before lying down. So he sat there, the sound of Yuri's fingers tapping against the keyboard the only noise that filled the air.

The blonde closed his eyes for a minute, only to open them again to see Repede staring at him again. It was startling, but he didn't jump, wondering just what the dog wanted from him. Once again it didn't look as if he wanted to bite him, but that didn't mean Flynn would jump right in and start being overly friendly. He might've liked dogs but he knew very well that they could be dangerous, so as he began to inch his hand closer to him he readied himself to bring it right back. Gently he placed it on top of his head, rubbing it back and forth in a slow manner before Repede shook it away.

He sniffed it for a few seconds, apparently deciding that it was uninteresting since he decided to walk away. Well, at least he wasn't staring at him anymore…

"It might take some time for him to warm up to you." Flynn found that the other male wasn't looking at him as he spoke, eyes still glued to the compute screen.

"I kinda figured as much…" But at the moment the blonde really wasn't concerned with befriending Yuri's dog. With a sigh he finally lied back, getting himself comfortable as he unfolded the blanket that had been given to him.

"It's kind of odd though…he usually likes minors."

"W-What? I-I'm not a-"

"It's not nice to lie, Jailbait."

Flynn wanted to respond to that, but with his throat tightening up on him actually saying anything was quite the chore. His body was painful tense, and when he heard shuffling he felt the blood from his face completely drain. Yuri leaned over him, the smirk present on his lips indicated that he wasn't upset but merely amused.

"You should be a little more careful giving out your name…I mean I found out that you were still in high school pretty fast with it." The blonde flinched a bit when the other male came a little closer to him, his hair tickling his cheeks in a way that would've been enjoyable if not for the situation.

"I-I…" Flynn knew he sounded nervous, so he took a moment to gather himself, looking the other male in the eye as he spoke, "…Are you going to kick me out…?"

"Now why would I do a thing like that? I don't really care if you're a minor."

"Then why bring it up-?"

Yuri moved in closer, Flynn freezing up again as their noses almost touch. Much like his dog the longer haired male stared at him, and it was probably one of the few times in his life where he couldn't read another person. Lying was tiresome…but to make things easier on himself he had developed a keen sense of perception, allowing him to observe another person and know what was going on in their head. Body language did most of the talking, especially the face, but as he stared up at Yuri he found himself straining to find some kind of emotion other than the one present on his face.

"The look on your face is well worth it. Plus the only house rule I have is that you don't lie to me." Flynn finally managed to open his mouth but it was too late, the other male removing himself from his space before walking back over to his computer. After just lying their for a few minute, the blonde so very confused as to what had just happened, he wasn't really sure what to think of Yuri…

But he knew there was going to be some kind of friction between the two of them…There was just something about his personality, something he had witness in that closeness a few seconds ago that he just didn't _like_. Maybe it was his smug behavior as he spoke to him just then, or maybe it was the _way_ he looked at him as he spoke…whatever it was it just didn't sit well with him.

"Just get some sleep, Jail-bait."

"I have a name…"


	4. Shot Four: Annoyance

"So, how was school, Jailbait?"

" _Stop calling me that…!_ "

As Yuri laughed he could only grit his teeth, trying his best not to snap at the other male anymore than he already had. It didn't take all that long for Yuri's personality to annoy the hell out of him, but instead of complaining about it he held it together. But this didn't mean he hadn't wanted to tell the longer haired male to just _shut up_ sometimes.

Flynn was grateful towards the older man for allowing him to stay in his place, but the blonde was soon finding out that even being grateful had its limits. The first thing he noticed that just didn't sit well with him was that Yuri was a horribly messy person, but the degree of just how bad things were didn't show up until the morning of his first day there. Upon waking up he wasn't at all surprising to find Repede staring at him, but for the most part he just ignored the dog. It was probably around ten in the morning when he had awakened, and as he looked over to the 'bedroom' section of the apartment he found the other male sprawled out on his bed.

He wondered briefly just what time Yuri had gone to sleep, but when his eyes fell to the floor he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose. There were clothes everywhere, Flynn deciding that it was probably better to just fold everything and wait for the other male to wake up so he could sort the dirty from the clean. He had to stop himself after that, wondering just why he felt the need to clean anything in that apartment. Part of the reason was obligation, because he needed to do something to repay the older male for taking him in.

The other part steamed from the fact that he couldn't stand looking at such disorder, and as his eyes traveled along the rest of the apartment thing just became worse. The clothes weren't apparently isolated to the bedroom, the living room having been plagued by them as well. Balls of crumpled paper seemed to liter the hardwood floor just as much as the clothes, Flynn stepping on a few as he made his way into the kitchen. It wasn't as bad as bad as the other places in the apartment, but the dirty dishes in the sink definitely needed to be cleaned. With a deep sight he decided that not complaining was the quickest way to get things done, so he rolled up the sleeves to his shirt and got to work.

In the span of four hours he had managed to get everything done, the dishes were clean, the clothes were folded and because he wasn't sure what to do with all the paper he placed it in a stray grocery bag he had found. He even managed to vacuum the floor, which apparently wasn't enough to wake the sleeping longer haired male. He didn't rouse from his sleep in the slightly until the blonde began to make coffee, Flynn watching with great amusement as he stumbling into the kitchen and plopped down at the table. He still looked tired, his hair completely dissolved as he ran his fingers through it, which didn't help the problem at all.

Taking pity on the poor creature sitting at the table Flynn asked just how he took his coffee, to which he was given a muffled 'lots of creamer and sugar'. Someone seriously wasn't a morning person…but then again it was two in the afternoon so he probably just sucked when it came to waking up. Yuri groaned a bit when the cup was placed in front of him, merely holding the handle for a good while before finally deciding to take a sip. After he seemed to regain a little more of his senses he looked around, a surprised look on his face as his eyes roamed his now clean apartment.

When asked if he had done everything himself Flynn couldn't help but gloat a bit, though his high mood was shot down the moment the other male said he was 'cheaper than a maid'. That was the other thing that irritated him about Yuri…his mouth. His voice always seemed to have a sarcastic, teasing tone to it, and when the nicknames started to fly Flynn was rather grateful for his amount of control. He was rather use to being called 'Blondie' since that was how the guys at the bar addressed, but 'Jail-bait', 'Maid', 'Virgin' and 'Kid' were the ones that just got to him.

The last one really irked him because even if Yuri was older than him he acted rather immature, and at twenty-four, and therefore technically an 'adult', the blonde really thought he'd act like one. He loved to tease him, and even if there wasn't any vicious intent in his voice it still wasn't something Flynn wanted to deal with. It was why Flynn was rather happy when he got out of the apartment as much as he could, be it when he briefly visited his home or went back to the bar or managed to take Repede for a walk. The dog was pretty damn hesitant about the whole walking thing at first, and Flynn really wouldn't have bothered with it if the damn dog hadn't been staring at him with his leash in his mouth.

At first Repede would back away whenever he approached, sitting back down whenever he had reached a good distance. It was a bit frustrating but the blonde had managed to figure out that if he stood by the door he could come, though of course he wasn't allowed to put his leash on until the two of them had reached the front of the building. The same went for when the two of them returned back; Repede would refuse to go beyond the front door of the apartment complex unless his leash was removed, Flynn quickly deciding that the dog had a particular way of doing things when it came to him and therefore it was best to just comply.

When returning home he did exactly what he had set out to do, and he was luck enough to not run into his mother at all. This wasn't to say that after the first few visit he was comfortable with the whole thing, because he knew the moment he let his guard down things would take a turn for him. Every time he stepped into the house he was hesitant, checking all of the floor and rooms before he decided to get cleaning. Upon finding his room in shambles his heart dropped, but the first thing Flynn did was check to see if his mother had found the picture he had stashed away.

Thankfully she hadn't. The blonde decided that said photo was better of with him, so he packed it up along with a few other things he needed. Everything went into a large duffel bag he kept under the bed, the very one that had only been used once when he and his family had gone on vacation. Unfortunately all of the pictures of their visit had been mutilated by his mother, and it was one of the few times he had tried to stop her from doing so. It was before he fully understood just how sick his mother was, and because of his ignorance Flynn had received a few blows to the face.

He wasn't sure what was more terrifying in that moment…the fact that it was the first time his mother had ever hit him or her hugging him a few seconds later, kissing his sore cheeks as she apologized. Shaking his head a bit he knew thinking back on the past would waste time, so he got himself together and began cleaning up his room. The routine was the same as it always was; he cleaned whatever floor he was on first before moving on, dusting and vacuuming until he felt that everything was up to his standards. He always left the house in a hurry, making sure his mother's car wasn't in the driveway before leaving. If it ever was he'd probably take the backdoor, but not before panicking.

When coming back to Yuri's apartment the other male always took his sweet time getting the door, always greeting him with a comment about him just staying home instead of coming back. He didn't feel the need to tell the older man just why he had decided to shy away from home, so the blonde merely shrugging the comments off while saying that it was 'personal'. He saw nothing wrong with keeping information from the person housing him; in fact he was sure that things probably would've gone better if he did. The burden he carried was his alone to bare, and getting outsiders involved with it would only complicate things.

Before going back to school he had a bit of damage control to do, and given how pissed off Estelle was with him he probably should've done it much sooner. From the time he had ran away from home to the point where Yuri had taken him in Flynn had not been in contact with her at all, and when he finally managed to get his hands on his cell he wasn't at all surprised with all of the missed calls belonging to the smaller girl. She really let him have it when he finally visited her, guilt tripping him when she mentioned that she was afraid something had happened to him. Like always he lied to her, and as he did so an all too familiar taste began to fill his mouth.

Disgust.

Estelle still seemed a little miffed even after his explanation, but instead of more scolding he just received a 'just call me next time'. He would if he could…that's all he could silently promise her. He spent most of his afternoons with her to make up for lost time, though of course his guy friends teased him about his outings being dates. After dropping her off at home he always made his way back to the longer haired male's place, and because he wanted to have a little 'adult time' down at the bar he made sure to take a one to two hour nap before leaving.

Sure he could've stayed in and just settled with Yuri, but the older man always seemed busy on his computer and the last thing he wanted to do was disturb the other while he was working. It was probably better to seek the attention of men at the bar instead of Yuri, only because the embarrassment he experienced whenever the other male brought up their one night stand was damn near crippling. It was another of the things Yuri just loved to tease him about, and even if he repeatedly told him that his performance had improved he continued with his antics.

He'd show him that he wasn't some inexperienced virgin anymore…

Judith found it immensely amusing that he was rooming with the longer haired male, Flynn unable to hide his annoyance whenever he spoke about him. She told him not to fret over his teasing too much since that was just in his nature, but it was rather hard since he was _living with him_. When she mentioned that he had always been like that, he couldn't help but ask just how long she had known Yuri. He wasn't too surprised when she said they were high school friends, though he was slightly surprised when she told him that the longer haired male was rather open about his sexuality. Flynn found it a little hard to relate to that given how secretive he was about his, so it made him slightly envious of the older man.

When not speaking to Judith he was searching the building for his next potential lay, which usually didn't take too long. He always went back to their place, because he dare not show up to Yuri's place with a one night stand and expect things to go well. The blonde made sure to at least keep his shirt on, lest he'd have to explain why there was a large bruise on his stomach. Having sex made him feel better, though whenever someone grazed a bad stop he couldn't help but wince. He took a bath when he returned back to the longer haired male's place, not at all surprised that Yuri was still on the computer.

Whatever he was working on he was completely immersed in it, and from the quick peek he had take once he could only tell that he was typing a ridiculous amount of words. He still didn't feel the need to ask him just what he did, but Flynn figured he'd find out eventually. When school started back up he really didn't think much of it, the only difference being that he'd be leaving from Yuri's apartment rather than his house. It required him to take two buses because of it, not that he really minded since he arrived at school about the same time. Everything was fairly normal, he continued on with his class studies as if nothing had happened to him at all.

It wasn't until the afternoon that he was reminded just how drastically different his life was…Upon leaving the school building, not waiting up for Estelle since she had practice, his eyes fell to one of the cars lined up near the sidewalk. Or more specifically he gazed over at the person leaning against said car. Flynn blinked a few times, hope it was just his tired eyes playing tricks on him, but when the figure began waving at him a horrible feeling appeared in the pit of his stomach. What the hell was Yuri doing at his school? It was exactly what he asked when he walked over to the older man, demanding an explanation. He merely shrugged, saying that he had decided to take some time off from work to pick him up.

Flynn, being in such a panic stricken state, just told the longer haired male to get into the car, because he didn't want to explain who Yuri was to anyone. When the two of them drove off he relaxed a bit, but not before asking Yuri why he hadn't said anything to him beforehand. The blonde merely rolled his eyes when the answer he received was that Yuri's little trip was just a 'spur of the moment', and given his personality it was completely believable. The blonde spent the entire ride with his cheek pressed against the window, mind racing as he tried to think up a lie in case someone noticed Yuri.

Yuri's 'spur of the moment' pick-ups were definitely going to get him in trouble…but upon thinking about it why did he need the other male to drive him back to the apartment? Flynn kindly asked if he could stop coming to his school, to which the older man merely laughed and asked if it was embarrassing for him. It really wasn't…and he told him point blank that explaining just who he was to people could've been a problem. The longer haired male seemed to brush his concerns off, and his little comment about him just having to 'deal with it' made him twitch a bit. He didn't have to deal with a goddamn thing…but the other option was moving out of his apartment and back into his house.

Flynn decided that he needed to be a little more tolerant of the other male's antics if he didn't want to go back to the house where his mother was waiting…

"And I told you to stop coming to my school." He made sure to keep his voice down, not wanting to attract any kind of attention to their conversation.

"And I told you to deal with it. Besides, it gets me out of my apartment for a bit." Flynn tried his best to not make a face at the smirk the other male was giving him, and even if he failed slightly he made sure to keep his mouth shut.

"Look, let's just go…I have homework to do…" As much as he would've loved to just open the car door and get in Yuri was blocking his way, and after a few seconds of staring it became quite obvious that Flynn needed to speak up, "Can you move?"

"Wanna try asking again?"

He hadn't meant for the groan in his throat to slip out, but as he rubbed his temples walking to the nearest bus stop seemed like the only thing that would relieve the headache he could feel coming on. Flynn knew what the longer haired man wanted him to say, but it was the mere fact of him actually giving in to his wishes that seemed to piss him off so much.

"I'm really not in the mood for this…so either you move or I'm taking the bus." It was when that smirk on Yuri's face widened that he knew his headache was going to become unbearable.

"You can try, but I'll be right behind you honking my horn." The blonde could only pale at the statement, because he knew it wasn't an empty threat. Yuri _would_ follow right behind him, honking his horn in such an obnoxious fashion that the embarrassment he felt would be horrifying.

So he took a deep breath, allowing the word _please_ to finally leave his lips as he clinched his fists slightly. With a small chuckle the other male finally stepped away from the door, the blonde a bit surprised when he didn't receive a snotty comment from him. It'd probably come later when the two of them were in the car…

"Flynn!" His entire body froze as he looked in the direction of the person calling his name, only to be met with Estelle running full speed at him.

"E-Estelle…" She panted a bit upon stopping in front of him, and he really couldn't help but ask if she had actually ran from the gym which was on the other side of the school.

"Y-Yeah, I ran from the gym. I really don't wanna go to practice today s-so I'm kind of running away." Well that would certainly explain why she was in such a hurry, and since she had come so far it didn't seem right to just let her leave.

"Um…could we give her a lift? I mean she doesn't live that far from here…" He really did want to give the smaller girl a lift, but he was slightly hesitant because there was no way for her not to notice that she had no idea who Yuri was.

"I don't mind, though you do own me afterward."

"Fine, whatever."

He wasn't really sure if he should've agreed to something so vague, but if it meant getting a tired Estelle home he really didn't mind whatever was to come. The three of them piled into the older male's car, Flynn deciding to sit in the back with the smaller girl to keep her company (and to get some kind of distance from Yuri). As the she began to tell the older man her address he truly prayed that Yuri wouldn't mention anything Estelle didn't know. Because he hadn't really spoken to the older man about his personal life there was a good change that he'd bring up their living arrangements, his sexual orientation or the fact that he was underage and sleeping around. Flynn wouldn't allow this…

"So…are you a friend of Flynn's?" He had expected her to start asking questions sooner or later, and the blonde would make sure they were answered correctly.

"I guess you could say that-"

"He's my cousin on my father's side of the family." He ignored the surprised look Yuri gave him through the rear-view mirror, since he was more so concerned with the small girl's reaction rather than his.

"Oh…well it's nice to meet you, um…" Yuri wasted no time giving up his name first name, Flynn listening to the conversation to make sure it didn't take a turn.

"So, have long have you known Jail-"

And there it was. Since he was sitting right behind him the blonde didn't waist any time kicking the back of the older male's seat, Yuri giving out a small yelp as a result.

"Shit, I could've crashed you know!" Flynn just glared at his reflection through the rear-view mirror, a bit irritated that he couldn't voice his irritation. Hopefully Yuri got his hint and didn't call him 'Jailbait' while in the presence of one of his friends, because if not he was demanding he stop the car so he could get out, carrying Estelle the rest of the way on his back.

Thankfully he didn't need to assault the older male's chair again, and it was a little sad that it took a threatening look for Yuri to actually address him by his real name. The small girl told him about their youthful days, and as she spoke he recalled how innocent those times were. He missed the days when his mother wasn't under some kind of psychosis, when his father was still alive and around to just _talk_ to him and when he could be with his family without some kind of incident going down. But he had to persevere even if things didn't seem to be working in his favor, because he knew his father would've wanted him to.

"Oh, I forget to ask, did anyone ask you to the prom yet, Flynn? If not you can come with me and Rita. The two of us were going as friends and I don't think she'll mind if you join us." He really didn't know Rita all that well since she only hung out with Estelle when he wasn't around, but from the little information he did have on her the blonde could gather that she wasn't really the 'prom' type.

"No, you two go and have fun, I think I'm going to skip it."

"W-What? But this is our senior prom…it's our only one before we graduate. You should really come!" She seemed genuinely distressed about his confession of not wanting to go, but he really had little to no interest in dressing up and dancing. The blonde wasn't really sure how to explain to her that the whole thing just didn't seem worth it if he didn't have a date, and there was no way in hell he'd ask out one of the guys from his school.

"You should really listen to her, Blondie, I mean I didn't go to my prom and everyone said it was a blast."

"Really? Oh, oh! I have an idea, why don't you go to the prom with Flynn, Yuri?"

Wait a minute, what?

"That way Flynn can come and you can go to a senior prom!"

Whoa, okay, things were really starting to get out of hand. He quickly told Estelle that the other male was probably going to be too busy with work to come, but of course Yuri just had to interject, saying that if it was for one night he didn't mind coming. Goddamn him…now there was no changing her mind. Estelle was pretty stubborn when she had gotten an idea stuck in her head, so there was no point in even trying. So he merely slid down in his seat, muttering a small curse as he tried to think of a way to get himself out of such a ridiculous arrangement.

Upon reaching the smaller girl's house he escorted her to the door, fringing happiness as she spoke about the prom to come. When she was safely inside of her house, the door closing with a small 'click' of the lock, Flynn dropped the act. As he turned around his smile drop, and without needing a mirror he could tell that his face was practically radiating annoyance. Slipping into the passenger seat of the car he waited for Yuri to do something, and when the car didn't move he looked over at the other male, hoping he didn't have to say please again.

"Your friend is, um…how should I put this…"

"Just shut up and call her weird already."

"Okay, your friend is a little weird, but that's not necessarily a bad thing." Flynn muttered a small 'whatever' as they pulled out of the driveway, just wanting to get his afternoon over and done with. Since he had done such a thorough job of cleaning his house the other day he didn't need to go back over there until the next day, which meant once done with his homework he needed to find something to preoccupy himself with.

Other than walking Repede there wasn't much for him to do since he had cleaned Yuri's apartment recently, and staring mindlessly at the television while he flipped channels wasn't his most favored pastime. But it seemed that was his only option…unless he asked Yuri. The blonde really didn't want to, not because he felt he could've found something on his own, but because the older man would go right back to 'working' as soon as they returned. There was a pattern in his way of doing things, first typing away for hours before taking a short break doing whatever. What could possibly be so important that he needed to stay on the computer for that long?

Glancing over him his curiosity peaked again, which it did from time to time. Why wouldn't it? The person sitting next to him was still a complete mystery, and the unknown was something that drew everyone in. But when he got to know Yuri a little more it became clear that he was not the 'dark and mystifying' stranger he had originally thought him to be. This, however, did not stop him from wondering just who the hell he was. Sure Flynn knew him as the annoying guy he was rooming with, but there had to be more to him than just that…at least he really hoped there was.

"So what do I owe you…?"

"Hm?"

"You said I owe you something for taking Estelle home…"

"Ah, right. Well, since you demonstrated recently that you having zero cooking skills I guess making dinner is out," He didn't need to bring that up, which was why Flynn didn't bother to stop himself from sucking his teeth, "But I'll think of something, don't worry."

He had every right to worry…The blonde had deliberately asked the older male about what he owed him because he didn't want him to really mull over it, believing that he would give him something stupid to do and thus ending the whole situation. But now that he had time to think it over there was no telling what kind of situation Flynn would find himself in later on. Just patiently waiting when it came to something dealing with Yuri didn't seem right, so he asked the longer haired male once again what he should've been doing.

"Would you just pick something already? I want to get whatever stupid request you have for me over with…" His voice dripped with irritation and he once again made no attempts to hide how he felt.

"Geez, someone's got a shitty attitude this evening." He wanted to say 'no shit, Sherlock', but that would mean changing the subject…like hell he was going to do that.

"Pick. Something…"

"Okay, fine…when we get back to my place I want you to prove that you're not a virgin. You've been bitching and moaning about it since you arrived, might as well put your money where your mouth is, right?" Flynn looked over at the longer haired male for a few seconds before agreeing, and even if he made sure he stayed indifferent on the outside on the inside he was giving off an extremely smug smile. He was finally going to make Yuri eat his words.

The two of them didn't say anything the rest of the way, the blonde spending his time thinking about just what he'd do to prove the older man wrong. He didn't want to have sex since he wanted to go out that night, so that meant his mouth would need to do most of the work. He wasn't worried about it; in fact he was sure he'd make Yuri regret doubting his experience.

He was so busy in his own little world that he barely noticed that the car had stopped, Yuri flicking his shoulder as a means to snap him out of his trance. The blonde flinched a bit but decided not to make a big deal about it, wanting nothing to shatter the confidence he had been building up. Upon walking into the apartment he expect the older man to say something to him, but when he didn't so much as look at him Flynn decided to wait. He didn't want to seem impatient so he just watch the longer haired male, watching as he walked over and gave his dog a pat on the head before plopping down on the couch.

When Yuri made a gesture with his hand he took it as a sign to come over, and as he stood to face the other male he could tell that the expression on his face was one of boredom. Couldn't he at least act like he was even a tiny bit interested in what was about to happen to him? Whatever…Flynn wouldn't worry about it, instead he'd focus on making him beg.

"Well? Are you just gonna stand there-"

First he'd deal with his mouth. Leaning over he roughly took the other male's chin with his fingers, bring their lips together in a rough manner and ultimately shutting Yuri up. He straddled the older man's hips, fingers skillfully undoing button after button of the longer haired male's shirt. Unlike the first time his hands weren't shaking, in fact he held little to no hesitation or fear in his movements. He had gotten over most of that by being with different people, and a lesson he had learned from fooling around was that if you falter in actions the other party will take over. He wasn't letting Yuri do that…

But it seemed the older man had little to no interest in taking any kind of action, which was made apparent to Flynn when he slipped his tongue into his mouth. He didn't so much as put up a fight, and as the blonde ravaged his mouth he had to wonder if he was being made fun of. Yuri was just sitting their in the same position, both arms resting on the back of the couch and his legs spread wide open, and it annoyed the ever shit out of him…

It meant the other male's expectations of him were low, and as he parted and made his way to Yuri's neck the desire to prove him wrong only grew. He wasn't gently about anything, so as he latched onto the exposed flesh between his neck and shoulder he was rather pleased with himself for getting Yuri to make some kind of sound. It was small but at least it meant he was getting somewhere. His intention was to leave a mark on the other's skin with his rough movements, one that would make him remember that the blonde was not some damn amateur.

"Are you almost done trying to suck the skin on my neck off? Because if so I need to get back to work…"

Flynn froze at those words, trying his best to comprehend their true meaning without allowing his self-assurance to drop. He was just…trying to make him falter…yeah…the seemed like exactly what he was trying to do. The blonde wouldn't allow such low tactics to damper his mood, so he detached himself from Yuri's neck and made his way downward. Forgoing the older man's nipples he deciding to just get to the meat of the issue, and as he reached the longer haired male's crotch he found that the bulge in his pants wasn't nearly as large as he had imagined. He'd fix that…

After undoing his belt with little problem Flynn tossed it aside, but instead of pull down his boxers and going to work he began licking at the other male's member through the fabric. He sucked and nipped at it, making a dark spot on Yuri's boxers as he did so. It took some doing but after one long, hard suck he managed to get the older man to give out a small sound, his cock twitching a bit as he fidgeted a little. Good…there was no way for him to deny that he felt that.

He tried his best not to smirk, but knowing that no matter how smug Yuri acted his body would always be honest was a fact that he couldn't help but love. Satisfied with his progress he decided to go a little further, the blonde hooking his fingers around the elastic of the older man's gray boxers before pulling them down. As his member sprung forth Flynn marveled at how plump it was for someone who wasn't 'interested', his eyes locking with Yuri's as they drifted upward. Now he was paying attention. His gaze never left the other's as he began to lick down the side of his shaft, finally taking time with his actions since he wanted the longer haired male to feel _everything_.

It slid up and down every little vein it came in contact with, nipping lightly at whatever exposed skin his lips touched. He took extra care with the tip, dipping his tongue into the slit as he stroked the rest of the shaft with his hand. He thumbed over certain areas of Yuri's member, the ones he knew from experience with other men would get a good response out of him. But he had to admit…the older man was pretty good at holding his reactions back, but as Flynn stared up at him he could tell that he was clinching his jaw. He only broke eye contact when he took the other male's cock into his mouth, relaxing his muscle so he could easily side all of it inside at once.

Men loved when he did this, but Flynn hated when they came down his throat, nearly chocking him. But it was a small price to pay, and he was always rewarded for his good deed. Removing everything but the tip he gave it a rough suck before diving back in again, the blonde repeating the motion a few times before speeding up. He felt he older man buck into him once, and he added it to the list of victories he had made within that small span of five minutes. Even with all of his denial and control Flynn knew the older man had a limit, because he was no different from the other people he had slept with. All he had to do was find that one spot, the one that differed from cock to cock but still had the same outcome when touched-

"S-Shit…"

And there it was. He focused solely on the spot, mouth moving so that his tongue could take full advantage of it. Upon feeling a hand on the back of his head he knew he'd have himself shoved completely against the other male's length the moment he came, and as always he'd swallow everything to be best of his abilities. But what he hadn't expected was for Yuri to roughly grab his hair, the motion of him being pulled back causing him to dislodge his mouth from around his member. Flynn was about to protest but when his face was covered the older man's thick, white seed he could only sit there in shock.

All right…he'd admit that it was the first time he had gotten himself a facial, only because he had prevented it from happening in the past. He had been careless with Yuri…and because of this he was going to reactive some kind of comment that would piss him off greatly.

"That's a good look for you." Yuri stared down at him with that same damnable smirk on his face, Flynn letting out a very loud 'tch' as a response.

"Don't get cocky, you came."

"You're the one who shouldn't get cocky," Placing his dick back into his boxers and pants he stood, "Just because someone comes doesn't mean the technique was any good. You're still a virgin, Blondie."

He watched as Yuri walked over to his computer, plopping down in his chair and going back to work as if nothing had happened at all. That bastard…In order to prevent himself from saying anything he'd regret, Flynn excused himself from the room, making his way into the bathroom where he promptly slammed the door. Placing his hand on either side of the sink he leaned forward a bit, staring at his cum filled face in the mirror with annoyance. Yuri had to be lying…there was no way he couldn't have been experiencing some kind of pleasure.

In fact he found it downright insulting that his service had been reduced to nothing but a way to ridicule him further. Turn on the faucet he began to wash the sticky substance from his face, thankful that none of it had gotten in his hair. Once done he retrieved his toothbrush and the toothpaste from the cabinet behind the mirror, brushing his mouth in order to get the taste of dick and cum out of it. It wasn't bad or anything, he just didn't like it to marinate for too long since the taste became a little unpleasant. He usually did it twice before he deemed his mouth fresh, and as he opened the cabinet once more he couldn't help but stare at Yuri's toothbrush.

He kept his in the same cup as the longer haired male, which wasn't much of a problem since they looked noting a like. But instead of returning it to said cup he placed it on the shelf below it, closing the cabinet and leaving the bathroom.

He'd buy his own cup later on…


	5. Shot Five: Comfort

He had been caught...and with the evidence relinquished from hands there was no way for him to lie about it. Well...not that he _could_ even if the chance was still there. Yuri had the uncanny ability to tell when he was lying, which usually involved the longer haired male getting ridiculously close to him as he stared him in the eye. It was unnerving as all hell, but it wasn't just because of the other male's closeness. The fact that he could read him so easily was disturbing, because if he could tell when he was bring deceitful then what was keeping him from finding out the truth about why he had actually fled from home?

Every time Yuri looked him in the eyes he felt fear, because no one needed to be pulled into his problem. He didn't understand Yuri, couldn't predict his behavior...and it was for that very reason that he refused to tell the older man anything. As horrible as the word 'manipulate' was it was exactly what he did to others...but he couldn't play Yuri for a fool. It was as if the other male's very existence had been created for the sole purpose of breaking down everything Flynn had built up over the years, and when it all came down he wasn't sure what he'd do with himself. If his mother was institutionalized or worst yet placed in a prison for child abuse, where would that leave him?

Alone and confused...and this was enough of a reason for him to not allow Yuri Lowell to get any closer to him than necessary. It didn't seem to be too much of a problem given how much he disliked the older man's behavior, and it wasn't like Yuri was prying all that much either. So their current relationship was just fine...he just wished the older man would've changed a few things about himself. It had been two whole weeks since Yuri had began picking him up from school, and Flynn made completely sure that they didn't stay for chit-chat. It was bad enough that Estelle had caught the two of them leaving, but he had dealt with her...his problem lied with Raven.

It as already a challenge trying to explain to him why he wasn't at the house whenever he came to visit, the blonde having to spin a long web of lies that had little if any holes in it. He had gotten him to believe that much, but it would've been an even bigger challenge to explain who Yuri was. The older teacher knew his family, and as such it made passing the longer haired male off as his relative was damn near impossible. He could've just called Yuri his 'friend' and have it over and done with, but then he had to explain just why he was hanging out with someone older than him. He needed to thinking of something...and avoid Raven whenever the longer haired male was around.

He was almost caught by his teacher, Flynn having to duck down in the passenger seat to prevent himself from being spotted. Of course Yuri had to poke fun at him, but when the words 'statutory rape' came up his teasing died down a little. The other male wasn't committing one crime but two, because not only had he slept with him but the blonde was technically a runaway and housing one without notification from their parents was against the law. He might not have liked Yuri all that much but that didn't mean he wanted him going to jail.

No one needed to go to prison because of him...

Other than needlessly picking him up from school the longer haired male really hadn't done anything new to annoy him, in fact he seemed so absorbed in his work it was almost as if the blonde wasn't there at all. Flynn didn't worry too much about it at first, though when he had awakened in the middle of the night to find him still typing away he had to wonder once more just what he was doing. His behavior went on for an entire week, Yuri only leaving his workspace to get a quick bite to eat, use the bathroom or take a two hour nap.

Repede seemed concerned, or at least the blonde thought he was given how much he whined as he placed his head in his master's lap. Flynn probably should've been a little more troubled when the large dog started to act like that, especially given that if anything happened to Yuri he'd be out on the streets again or back home, but...he just didn't feel the need to worry. Flynn continued on as if nothing was wrong, but he was caught off guard when the older male suddenly jumped up one day and yelled 'I'm done!', so happy that he treated him to a night out on the town. He really didn't mind since Yuri was treating, though the longer haired male was too busy running his mouth and drinking to really eat anything.

Yuri's behavior unfortunately lead to the blonde having to 'help' him back to his apartment, which consisted of him slinging his arm over his shoulder and baring most of his weight as he dragged along. The older man reeked of booze, and his flirting while in such close proximity did nothing to help. Flynn probably would've loved such attention before he had gotten to really know him, but since he had he only found it irksome. As soon as they were back in his apartment Flynn dumped him on his bed, but of course he didn't get off that easily. The longer haired male had a tight grip on his waist, refusing to let go no matter how threatening Flynn's voice became. After awhile it became quite clear that he wasn't getting away until the older man passed out from his intoxication.

And what an uncomfortable wait it was; because he was lying down it meant Yuri's arm was digging into his side, and he was sure the longer haired male's arm was going to sleep because of the weight on it. After a while he finally undid himself from Yuri's then limp grip, reminding himself to never to go out with him again if there was a chance of him consuming any kind of alcohol. Even the next morning, when he was hung-over and groaning in pain, his good mood didn't seem to leave. Flynn watched from afar as the older man began printing out page after page of whatever he had been writing on his computer, humming to himself as he collected everything and placed it in a nice stack on the coffee table in front of the couch.

It was a bit...strange...though when he was kicked out of the apartment a day later he had to wonder just what the hell was going. Okay...he wasn't really 'kicked out', Yuri just asked him to leave for a few hours which was suspicious as all hell. But he complied, having already made plans with Estelle beforehand. They had fun while out, though Yuri was always in the back of his mind, which was slightly annoying since he was trying to enjoy himself. When returning back to the apartment complex he found an older looking gentleman leaving Yuri's apartment, the blonde noticing him holding a large envelope under his arm as he shut the door.

Their hair was extremely light, so much so that Flynn thought it came off looking completely white. As they walked passed each other he was given a small nod of acknowledgement, and it was then that he noticed just how long their light hair actually was. It was far longer than Yuri's, going down said man's back and stopping past his rear-end. He didn't smile at him, though the expression on his face wasn't one of interest nor was it bored or stern. It was just...there. Flynn was curious once more, but this time it was about the stranger who had emerged from Yuri's apartment. He obviously wasn't one of the other male's one night stands given that his 'roommate' would've told him point blank if he was having someone over for sex.

So then who was he?

His suspicions grew when he laid eyes on the other male, who had a goofy and above all else extremely pleased smile on his face. When Flynn asked just what he was so happy about he only received a 'everything' before the longer haired male went into his bedroom, plopping down on his bed with Repede following right behind him. After that he pretty hard to not see Yuri either lounging or sleeping in his bed, the blonde deciding that it was him 'taking a break' from his job. Flynn didn't find him any less annoying while he was awake, in fact he could easily say that Yuri was far _more_ irritating since he had obtained so much free time.

The older man would pick with him whenever he was doing his homework, offering up help but Flynn knew better than to accept it. He didn't want to 'owe' Yuri anything, especially after what had happened the last time. It was such a humiliating situation...and it also added another reason for him not to accept any offers from the longer haired male for sex. He didn't want his performance to be ridiculed when he knew he was doing a damn good job, which was why he sought the company of those who appreciated his hard work. But he dealt Yuri's irritating behavior the same way he always had, the other commenting that he just needed to 'pull the stick out of his ass' so he could actually enjoy his company.

The thing was...he really didn't care about 'enjoying' the other male's company, he just needed a place to sleep. But his apparent withdrawal from the other male didn't stop him from snooping around when Yuri left to go to the store that day...and he really wished he had found a better way to spend his time. The older man had been gone for two hours, and other than having a staring contest with Repede he didn't have much to do. Sure he had the usual options, but he wanted something to do that wouldn't leave him bored while doing it. While lying on the couch his eyes began to scan the room, blue irises stopping once they had fallen on the bookcase near Yuri's workspace. They lingered there for some time before he finally give off a sigh of defeat.

Why the hell not? He could at least drown himself in whatever book he picked up so he didn't have to listen to Yuri's remarks. He went with the first thing his fingers landed on, and much to his disappointment he had picked up one of those cheesy romance novels, and a gay one at that. Placing it back on the shelf he tried again, pulling a book from the next level of the bookcase only to be met with the same genre once more. Trying multiple times he came to the conclusion that the only books Yuri possessed were romance novels, all of which were by the same person.

Flynn had never heard of this 'George Wolf' but apparently Yuri was a fan of his, and since it was the only reading material available he decided that those books were better than nothing. The book was mediocre...the writing wasn't bad but the plot was predictable and thin. This, however, did not stop him from continuing. Like always he became so absorbed in his reading that his surroundings just seemed to fade away, but he was violently pulled back into reality when the book was taken out of his hands. It took him a minute to register what he just happened, but when he did his entire body froze.

He almost refused to look back, knowing full well what he'd be met with, but...delaying it would only make things worse. So he turned around and started up at the older male who smirked down at him, Flynn shifting his position on the couch a bit. He didn't say anything because there was nothing he could that would make the situation any better, so there he sat...waiting for Yuri to say something.

"You picked a really crappy one, here" He watched as the other male walked over to his bookcase, placing the book back before picking another one up and tossing it to him. Flynn caught it without much trouble but he couldn't help but stare at the older man.

"Uh..." He took a minute to think of something to say, "You, um...have a lot of them...do you like this George Wolf person?"

"Not at all."

It wasn't the answer that was startling but the way Yuri laughed when he said it. Why was it so amusing to collect books of someone he didn't like? The longer haired male seemed to revel in his confusing, giving him an amusing smirk that clearly said he wasn't done with the conversation. Yuri waltz back over to him, taking the empty space on the couch as he took the book from him and flipped it open.

" _'He gazed into the windows that exposed the soul of the one he loved, longing for a far more intimate understanding of the hidden emotion that craved,_ _ **begged**_ _to be seen within those deep, tragically hazel eyes'_...fuck, I hated typing that line. 'Tragically hazel'? Seriously? I'm surprised my editor let that slide."

"W-Wait...you're George Wolf?"

"What? Never heard of someone using a pen-name? Besides there's no way in hell I'm putting my real name on such crap...Heh, wanna know how I came up with the name?" Flynn really didn't want to, but of course Yuri didn't bother to wait for him to answer.

Apparently the name derived from his own, the 'George' coming from the Russian meaning for Yuri while the 'Wolf' came from the Old French meaning of the word Lowell. The comment Flynn wanted to say was practically dripping with sarcasm, so he kept it to himself, not wanting to drag the conversation into a territory where he'd be the center of attention. The topic of focus was Yuri, and since he was given an opportunity to probe the other male for information he might as well milk the moment.

"So, um...why do you continue to do something you hate?" It was a rather simple question but it looked as if Yuri trying to find the right words.

"It pays the bills for one...but it's just not what I want to be writing. Plus it gets pretty tedious after awhile."

"I'm sure that writing crappy romance novels takes a toll on-"

"That's not what I meant."

The look the other male was getting him was...new to say the least, but it was a look that Flynn knew all too well since he was the one usually directing it at Yuri. His words had apparently offended the older man, though he wasn't exactly sure why...

"Writing romance novels isn't what's tedious, it's finding new ways to describe love," The offended look on his face was soon replaced with one of amusement, "Love isn't something that can be successfully described since it's such a complicated emotion that differs from one person to another."

"It can't be that hard-"

"Have you ever been in love?"

He could only stare as his mind tried to wrap itself around such a question, and the longer haired male's intense gaze on him did not help speed things along. The short answer was no, the long answer was that he never actually allowed himself to since he knew acting on his desires would lead him to a bad place. High school boys did not date other high school boys...which was why he was happy to rid himself of love to indulge his lust damn near every night. So he answered the older man with a simple 'no', annoyed when the amused look on his face became even more obnoxious than it already had been.

"Then you don't have any idea what I'm talking about." He sounded so damn smug, but what really pissed him off was that damn look of superiority Yuri was giving him.

"And you have? I feel bad for the poor bastard..."

"Never said you had to be in a relationship to be in love." Flynn didn't give any kind of retort since he found the whole direction of the conversation to be ridiculous, feeling that now he had fed his curiosity he had experienced enough of Yuri for one day. So he removed himself from the couch, though he didn't get too far before the older man began questioning him.

"I'm just going back home for a little while..."

"Great, I'll drive you then-"

" _No_." His tone was sharp, because he wanted to get across that he had no intention of letting him near that place. But of course his threat fell on deaf ears as Yuri followed right behind him. The blonde figured that if he ran fast enough he could've lost the other male, since he had enough confidence in his speed to know that he could.

So he ran. He could hear the footsteps of the other male behind him, but didn't bother to look back since he didn't want anything to distract him. He needed run to the furthest bus stop from the apartment complex, and by the time he arrived the bus would be boarding and Yuri should've been a good distance away from him. That was the initial plan, but Flynn was very aware that when dealing with the longer haired male anything could happen. For example he hadn't factored in the chance Yuri actually catching up with him, the blonde feeling a tight grip on his shoulder before he broke away from it. He wouldn't allow the older man anywhere near his house...

When he felt the hand again he tried to pull away once more, but this time he was pushed forward, a foot coming in contact with his own before tripping him. Flynn tumbled down but managed to catch himself on his hands and knees, but even if his body was fine his mind was screaming at him. No...no, he wasn't going to let the other male get his way, not this time.

"What are you running for? I offered you a lift-"

"Why the hell won't you just leave me alone? I don't want your damn lift! I don't want you anywhere near me right now, don't you get that? Go away!" He sounded desperate, but he wanted the older man to get off his case.

"Look...I don't particularly care about your business...I'm just offering to get you there, it's not like I'm going to follow you in. The inside of my car is probably more interesting compared to your place." As he crouched down in front of him it was blatantly clear that Yuri was bored, but behind that expression was something else he couldn't identify. And it was another thing he just hated about the longer haired male...

There was always something more hidden within his facial expressions, and Flynn detested that he couldn't tell what it was or even guess. Why did he struggle so much when it came to deciphering what the other male was really feeling? It wouldn't have bothered him so much if it wasn't for the fact that Yuri could read him like a goddamn open book, the blonde feeling that the equation was so unbalanced that he couldn't just let it slide. It was just so unfair. His body tensed at the older male's words, guard still up because he refused to believe his words. But then again when had he ever allowed it to be down when around him?

"Just...leave me alone..." He finally managed to get to his feet, checking his hands to see if he had gotten any kind of scrapes from his fall.

"Ugh, I'm done talking." Flynn was rather relieved to hear that, but when the other male's arm was tightly wrapped around his neck, dragging him back in the direction of the apartment complex, did his thinking changed. He tried to struggle but Yuri's grip was harder to break than he thought it'd be, and as he saw the other male's car come into view he began to panic.

His cursing and threats didn't seem to work, and when he was thrown inside the back of the car he desperately tried to get back out. No matter of much he pushed on the door while he pulled on the handle it didn't budge, and when he tried to the other one he was met with the same result. When Yuri took his place in the driver's seat he told him that because Repede liked to play with the door handles he was forced to put the child lock on, in fear that the large dog would manage to open them and jump out the car while it was moving. Just great...

When his address was asked for Flynn remained silent, the older man staring at him from the rear-view mirror as he waited. The blonde made himself comfortable in the backseat, because he was sure that the longer haired male wasn't going to go anywhere until he said something. After a few minutes Yuri let out a deep sigh, saying that if he was going to be so difficult than he'd just have to call Estelle and ask her. His entire body froze. No...there was no way in hell he actually had her number, but when the older man presented him with his own cell phone he could only stare in shock.

That was without a doubt Estelle's number...

"Where the hell did you get that from...?" He hissed out, not liking that Yuri had obtained such vital information without his noticing.

"Obviously I got it from her. We ran into each other at the grocery store the other day, so we exchanged numbers." He sounded so damn nonchalant about the whole thing when he clearly shouldn't have been, especially if it meant the two of them had actually been calling one another.

"Delete it!" Flynn tried going for Yuri's cell, but it was quickly moved from out of his reach.

"Why? I'm a grown ass man, Blondie, I can do whatever the hell I want."

"Not when it involves my friends!" He could see Yuri rolling his eyes from the rear-view mirror, the action causing the blonde to clinch his teeth. The older man wasn't supposed to be apart of _that_ part of his life, he was supposed to the dirty little secret the he kept from everyone. But here he was...trying to weasel his way into the life where people didn't know he was gay, where he was a dirty, filthy liar in order to keep everyone he loved happy.

He was not going to allow Yuri to do that...but the worst part was that deep down he knew those worlds would've collided eventually. He'd be a fool to think he could carry on like he had and expect everything to be just fine, but he didn't want everything to be shattered by the older man of all people. When his address was asked for again he still remained silent, but after awhile it became painfully clear that if he wanted to avoid Yuri calling Estelle he needed to suck it up and tell him. So he reluctantly muttered it out, hating the way the words and numbers sounded as they slide from his mouth.

Why did this stranger know how to manipulate him to get exactly what he wanted out of him? It was sick...so much so that he had to wonder why his friends or family never once tried to rile him so much. Was it because he had put up the act of a 'good boy' for so long? That seemed about right...since he was so 'good' people probably assumed he didn't need to be treated like a child...Yuri made some kind of comment about things being much better if he'd just stopped being stubborn, but the blonde was too busy trying to ignore him to really give it any mind. His arms were crossed, body slumped down in the street as he stared out the window.

His body tensed painfully as his surroundings became all too familiar, hating the way his stomach churned uncomfortably the closer they became to his house. Flynn could hear Yuri trying to speak to him, but everything just sounded like muffled gibberish as he tried thinking of a way to speed things along. He was just going to clean the house, and as much as he disliked cutting corners it was the only thing he could do to get the older man away from his house.

"Nice place." Flynn was snapped out of his trance with those words, and as he stared out of the window he was rather grateful that his mother's car was nowhere to be seen. He waited for the other male to open the door for him, and as he did so the blonde could only stare at him.

"Something on my face, Jailbait?"

"Just...shut up and wait in the car..."

Removing himself from the backseat Flynn tried to keep himself composed, but hiding just how nervous he was proved to be harder than expected. He didn't want Yuri to see how much his presence had rattled him, so he quickly made his way into his house, forgoing his usual inspection and diving right into cleaning. He quickly reprogrammed his mind for the situation, making sure he had the very basics down: _work fast, work hard and_ _ **don't stop**_. It was effective in getting what he needed done, but of course his quality suffered because of it...

There wasn't any need to worry though since all he'd just come back the next day, going over and fixing everything he had overlooked. Just as he was finishing up vacuuming the first floor he heard the doorbell ring, and he tensed instantly. His mother never forgot her key, but there was always the chance that she had...and what would he do then? Flynn had no right to keep her out of her own house, but on the other hand if she knew he was home there was no telling what she'd do. So he slowly made his way over to the nearest window, and upon pulling the drapes back and not being met with blonde but dark hair he instantly went over and flung the door open.

"...What?" His arms were folded, clearly not liking that Yuri had decided to come and knock on his door for whatever bull filled reason he had conceived.

"I have to take a piss."

"Then do it in the bushes-"

"The bushes? What would the neighbors think?" Flynn couldn't help but stare in disbelief; why the hell had he not considered the neighbors? He had already messed up by having him stay in his car, because if that wasn't suspicious as all hell he didn't know what was.

Looking around he didn't see anyone, but then again it had been an entire hour since he had left the other male, meaning that someone could've see him and was probably contemplating calling the cops at that very moment. So he had a decision to make...either allow Yuri into his house or have him continue to wait in his car, which would probably lead to a far less desired situation than the longer haired male setting foot inside. Biting down on his bottom lip he tried to think of a third option, one where he could get exactly what he wanted. But nothing came to mind.

So he quickly took him by the arm and pulled him inside, telling him the direction of the bathroom as he did so. But before letting go he made it perfectly clear that he wasn't allowed to touch anything, and that he was to sit his ass on the couch until he was done. The blonde didn't like the way the older man answered with a 'yeah, yeah' since it was clear that he wasn't going to keep his word, but at least he was out of the public eye. From the corner of his eye he watched as Yuri made his way into the sole bathroom on the first floor, the grip he had on the vacuum handle tightening as he finally finished up the small space he had been working on before he was interrupted.

When going up the stairs to tend to the second floor he watched as the longer haired male walked into the living room, plopping down on the couch with his arms behind his head and his feet on the coffee table.

"Feet off or you're cleaning it."

"Jeez, all right, all right."

Flynn wrinkled his nose as he watch the older man finally remove his dirty shoes from the table, continuing on his way up the stairs where he could start on his own room. Once again it was in complete shambles, his heart sinking as walked around to do a little damage control. The clock that sat next to his bed was completely busted, pieces of it lying near his bed while the rest of it on the other side of his room. The books on his bookcase had been thrown everywhere, and he was rather grateful that none of them were neither school books or books he had borrowed from the library since a few of them had been ripped up.

Pens, pencils and note cards from his desk littered his floor, the small lamp that had previously sat there lying next to his shattered clock, though it looked to be in better shape. His bed was disheveled but by far the least problematic thing to deal with, so with a small sigh he went to work. The sheets didn't need to be washed until later on in the week so he didn't bother putting them in the dirty laundry, the blonde merely making it over so that it looked like a proper bed.

"Damn, what happened in here?"

Flynn didn't bother responding, nor did he even bother to acknowledge the other male's presence in his room. He just continued cleaning, knowing the other male had just plopped down on his bed by the small 'thud' it made. Dammit, he had just made it! But instead of complaining he just soldiered on, dealing with the objects from his desk before moving on to his books.

"Hey, ever screw anybody in here?"

There was no way in hell he'd respond to that, so he just ignored it.

"Heh, your parents are probably so uptight that they don't allow anyone over here."

He twitched a bit, but refused to allow that comment rile him up.

"Ugh, don't you have anything else to do other than clean? Don't you have a normal social life? I mean other than getting banged by guys partially every night. Hm...I haven't been to the bar in some time, might as well go with you tonight-"

"HELL NO!" Damn...he hadn't meant to shout, but the mere thought of him accompanying him to the bar was enough to break the blonde. No...Yuri had already infiltrated his house so there was no way he'd let him tag along so he could ruin his night.

Enough was enough; throwing down everything he had in his hands he walked over to the older man, quickly grabbing his shirt collar as he demanded to know just what kind of sick pleasure he received from pissing him off so much.

"It's just fun teasing you, what's wrong with that?"

"There's a lot wrong with it! I'm fucking sick of it-!"

"I still don't get that about you, Flynn...you bitch and moan about everything but yet refuse to move out of my apartment...So if you're not going anywhere I suggest you stop acting like a spoiled brat."

He didn't like the way the other male was looking as him, that blank expression on his face boring into him in such a way that just irritated him to no end. He didn't have a right to talk to him like that...not when he didn't know a thing about his home life. What little control he had was lost, and after finally striking someone for the first time he finally figured out why he had never done so in the past. When his fist made contact with Yuri's face his hand stung, the blonde having to quickly pull it back and shake his hand a bit. Maybe he had done it wrong...but the older man then gave him plenty of opportunities to try again.

When given a hard blow to the jaw he was completely dazed, seeing stars as he tried to regain a little of himself to strike back. The two of them tussled on the bed after that, each punch they threw being received and countered. Flynn wasn't even sure how long they were going at it, though the fact that neither of them had little to no intention of backing down only seemed to draw their wrestling match out longer. But he refused to give up, especially if it was against someone like Yuri. Just when it seemed he had the upper hand the longer haired male flipped him, Flynn's landing on his stomach nearly knocking the wind out of him.

When he was about to protest he felt his arm being wretched behind his back, his face being pushed into the mattress at the same time. It seemed no amount of struggling could free him from such a hold, and no amount of cursing seemed to threaten the other male enough to make him let him go.

"Calm down and then I'll let you go..."

" _I am calm!_ "

"Oh?" When his arm was held tight Flynn winced, cursing at the older man even more as he thrashed about. Goddamn bastard...So it looked like he wasn't getting out of his position without once again giving Yuri what he wanted... _but he was so sick and tried doing that_.

From day one Flynn had been manipulated into doing exactly what the older male wanted, and the worst part was that he had no other choice but to comply. Was becoming a puppet to Yuri's will really any better than him dealing with his mother? But at least there was as third option this time...he didn't have to deal with either of them, and all he had to do was find a new place to dwell for the time being. Since he couldn't find someone else to room with he'd just have to find his own place...and until he got himself a decent job to pay for a decent apartment he'd just deal with the other male.

The thought of a life without Yuri gradually made him calm down a bit, his thrashing about finally stopping as he lied against the mattress, motionless and sore. True to his word the older male finally let him up when he had calmed down, the blonde deciding that lashing out wouldn't work in his favor in the slightest. So he just lied there for a few minutes, trying his best to compose himself in order to not outright attack Yuri.

"You punch like a bitch, Blondie." The weight of the best shifted and he watched as the longer haired male sat up in his bed, rotating his shoulder a bit as if to get a kink out of it. At the comment itself he didn't bother replying to it, Flynn slowly removing himself from bed so he could retuning to his cleaning duties.

He picked up the pile that he had dropped earlier and began placing things back in their proper place, ignoring the pain his body felt and the eyes of the other male on him. He still had so much to do and he had already wasted so much time...ignoring all the hindrances that seem to plague him was pretty much the only thing he could do if he wanted to get everything in order before-

"Flynn, are you home?"

Everything that he was holding was dropped once more. There was no way that much time had passed, but as he quickly pulled out his phone he could see that the desired chain of events he wanted to happen would no longer occur. He could only stand there as the sound of foot steps ascending the stairs became closer, the blonde completely at a loss at what he should've been doing. Running wasn't even a thought in his mind at that point, because his fate had pretty much been sealed the moment the older woman set foot inside the house.

What would she...do to him? There was no way in hell she hadn't noticed the lack of his presence around, so then would he be scolded? Or worse yet would he be beaten for 'leaving her like his father had'? And what in the name of everything that was holy was she going to do when she saw Yuri? His mother's unpredictability was what made things so complicated, and as his mind filled with all the 'what if-' scenarios he could think up the door began to open.

"Oh, you are home," She smiled at him before removing her heels, "I'll start dinner in a sec, they ran me ragged today so give me a little time. And oh, you brought someone home with you."

She waved over at the older man before she continued to speak. Not once did she mention his absence, the state of his room or question just who exactly Yuri was...it was like...she was acting like her old self. But he wouldn't allow himself to believe that she was actually all right...anything could've set her off at any moment. And it was for that reason that he wanted to watch her...to at least make sure she took her pills during dinner. If she did he could've easily snuck out with the longer haired male since the combination of pills she had to take always made her groggy, but if she didn't...he wasn't really sure.

He didn't feel any better after she had left, the younger blonde deciding to just quickly get his room in order so he could get everything over and done with. The moment he heard any kind of sound come from Yuri he instantly told him to 'shut up', not wanting to deal with his bull on top of everything else that was to come.

"All I'm trying to say is that your mom seems nice-"

"When I tell you to we're both leaving, no ifs, ands or buts." He didn't bother to hear the rest of what the other male had wanted to say, knowing that his own words held more weight than Yuri's. After a few more office supplies were picked up he told the longer haired male to wait downstairs on the couch, snapping when he heard him begin to give him some kind of retort.

"For once just...listen to me. You can talk shit about me later, but for now just... _please_ shut up and do what I say." Yuri just stared for a good while before he removed himself form the bed, not saying a word as he left the room. Flynn let out a deep sigh; at least he had gotten through to him...even when it meant him taking a small blow to his ego.

After getting his room back into a presentable state he left for the bathroom, needing to see just how much damage the other male had done to him. It hurt like hell, but upon looking in the mirror he found that he wasn't bleeding as bad as he had originally thought. There was a thin line of blood trickling down his lip, and his nose looked as if it wanted to bleed but yet hadn't. Everything else was just sore, Flynn turning on the faucet so he could wash away all of the bitter liquid from his face. Before leaving he made sure to check the inside of his mouth for any kind of cuts, and thankfully nothing seemed to be wrong.

On his way down the stairs he spotted the older man still where he was supposed to be, arms behind his head as he stretched himself out on the couch. His mother was already in the kitchen cooking, and as he stood at the bottom of the stairs the surreal natural of the whole situation was beginning to really make itself known to him. Things weren't supposed to turn out like this...Yuri wasn't supposed to have any contact with his 'other' life, but there he was...on the couch and looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. His mother wasn't supposed to be this damn chipper...she was supposed to be mad at him for leaving her out of fear.

But there she was...happily cooking away as if nothing had gone wrong, as if she hadn't tried to pretty much molest him. Something in the world had to be malfunctioning, the wires of his life either having been crossed of had simply gone haywire...because that was the only logical reason Flynn could conceive for what had been going on that day. However...he was fully aware that things could've changed at any minute, which was why he refused to allow the tense feeling that had overtaken him to leave.

"Flynn, could you get the table for me?" Everything was automatic, the younger blonde allowing his body to move purely by memory as he began to set the table. Of course a mental note to add an extra set for their 'guest' was made, but as always the spot across from his mother would always be left untouched.

That was his father's place...and it only took Flynn one time to learn what kind of wrath the older woman could unleash if someone sat there. It was one of the few times where he felt his life was actually in danger...He blocked out that little incident so he could focus, locking it away along with all the other horrible things that had taken place because of his mother's mental state. It wasn't her fault though...Flynn understood that much.

With his mind in such a fog it wasn't all that surprising when it took him a moment to figure out that he was sitting at the table, the older man sitting across from him and his mother blissfully serving the both of them. They were having seared salmon in some kind of sauce with vegetables, but as he looked down at his plate the waver of hunger that usually over took him when he did so didn't happen. Everything looked and smelled fine, but as he dug his fork into the pink fish, taking off a small piece to eat, it tasted bland. Something was missing, and Flynn had a pretty good idea what it was...

Her heart and soul wasn't in it...His mother was just cooking to cook, the passion she had for it nowhere to be seen in the dish that had been presented before him. His chest ache terribly when he thought that he was the cause, that his disappearance was the reason for the facade she was currently putting up. But he couldn't stay...he wouldn't...Upon sitting down his mother finally inquired about the longer haired male, and once again Flynn didn't give him a chance to answer.

"His name is Yuri, he's a student from one of the local universities and I'm helping him with his calculus course." He was given an odd look from the other male, but after a quick sigh he merely replied with a 'what he said'.

"You've always been so good when it came to your studies...just like your father..." The younger blonde tried to his best to not drop his fork against his plate, but every time she mentioned the word 'father' he had every right to panic.

"Um...yeah...shouldn't you be taking your pills now? I mean, it's the perfect time since you're eating." Anything to change the subject...She looked at him with a small smile, fingers crossing themselves as her hands came to rest under her chin.

"No."

"Mom-"

"I hate those things, Dear..." He knew...he knew how much she hated the way she felt on those things, "And it's your fault I'm on them."

As quickly as that smile had come it was gone, and Flynn could only stare horrified as his mother looked directly at him, that all too familiar distant look in her eyes.

"Why...why did it have to be you...? If Finath had been okay we could've started over, we could've had more children. B-But it had to be you...why? WHY?" The younger blonde barely had time to register his mother getting up, but he sure as hell felt the hard slap he received from her the back of her hand. She roughly grabber his shoulders after that, violently shaking him over and over as she demanded an explanation for why he had survived and his father had died.

"All right, that's enough." He watched as Yuri pried his mother off of him, the older male adding that he had no idea what the hell was going on but she had no right to abuse him. This action seemed to cause a moment of lucidness within her, the older woman's face filling his dread as he cover her mouth with her hands.

"I-I'm...I'm so sorry..." He flinched away as her hand gently caressed his cheek, his mother apologizing over and over again like she usually did as she held him close. Flynn didn't relax into her hold, still very much on edge given how volatile she had become. But he wanted to...he wanted to hold his mother and tell her that he had missed her so very much.

"P-Please...I'll take the pills, just don't leave again," She brushed away the hair from his forehead and kissed the exposed skin...and then his cheek...and then..."D-Don't leave me alone again, Finath."

It was time to go. He quickly informed the older male of this, and as much as it pained him to do it he pushed his mother away from him. She cried out for him...correction...she cried out for his father as the two of them made their way to the front door. Before bolting she had managed to grab onto his wrist, and he wasn't exactly sure why he tried pleading to her instead of just outright running. Maybe he believed that somewhere within that messed up head of hers was the mother he loved...the very one that didn't resent his very existence and held nothing but unconditional love for him.

But he couldn't get through to her, the older woman denying everything he said as she continued to call him by his father's name. Flynn was soon yanked away from her, the longer haired male pushing him into the passenger seat before quickly taking his place behind the steering wheel. The was no point in him looking back as they drove off, knowing that his mother's image quickly disappearing from view would only make things harder on him than they already were. Sinking down in his seat he placed his cheek against the cool glass, a feeling of utter shit overcoming him as he thought about his mother's words.

Biting down on his bottom lip he knew he shouldn't have thought about the things that could've or _should've_ been, but his mother's psychotic state always made him wonder. Could he really have been replaced so easily? If his father had lived would things have gone right back to normal if they had another child? And if so why... _why_ wasn't his existence good enough for her? He had to force himself to stop thinking such things, but with his mood combined with everything that had happened that day it just didn't seem like it was going to happen. He would admit that the eerily silent car was doing some good for him, because hearing Yuri's mouth was the last thing he wanted.

In fact he didn't even want to think about what the older man would say to him, and if there was any pity in his voice he'd pretty much lose it. The pity party had left town for him a long time ago...his problems were nothing compared to his mother's. Things weren't perfect for him but he could deal with them, like he always had, by himself. Flynn didn't need anyone to hold his hand and tell him that everything was going to be 'all right', because truth be told no one could've predicated such an outcome. He didn't _want_ someone lying to him...but the problem was that he wasn't really sure what he wanted.

When the car came to a full stop, the longer haired male turning off the engine, he knew that had reached the apartment complex. Still no words were shared between the two of them, Flynn silently walking behind the older man as his mind once again began to wander. Once inside Yuri was greeted by an overly enthusiastic Repede, the blonde ignoring the two of them to return to his spot on the couch. Or at least that's what he had intended. He was taken aback when his wrist was grabbed, the other male taking him over to the bedroom area of the apartment before pushing him down against the bed.

He was tired...and certainly not in the mood for sex, and as he voiced his concerns in a rather drained voice the other male merely stared at him. Like always it was unnerving, but the surprise came when the longer haired male merely lied down next to him, a hand place on top of his head as he gently stroked his hair.

"...What are you doing...? Is this your shit idea of comfort-?"

"Sometimes it's better for children to just shut up and cry..."

He wouldn't...which was why the only thing he could've done in that position was to deny the wetness that was making its way down his cheeks.

"So...just shut up and cry, Flynn..."


	6. Shot Six: Geek

"A job application?"

"Yeah...I'm not sure if I'd be much help around here, but..."

It was worth a shot to ask...Flynn had little knowledge when it came to alcoholic beverages since he had never been interested in then, and when it came to mixing them he was at a complete loss. But he could learn, and it didn't seem as if he needed to learn any over the top tricks to please the customers. Anything to get himself a job...because it meant he was one step closer to moving out of Yuri's apartment. He really needed to get the hell out of there before the longer haired male drove him crazy. Enough was enough, and to preserve his sanity the best thing for him to do was removing himself from the situation.

The fact that he was trying to strive for something so big made his tolerance for the older man a little higher, but it wasn't all that much that he began to rethink things. He was still easily annoyed by his antics, but he seemed to control himself better when it came to his retorts and irritated looks. Every time he wanted to go off on Yuri he just reminded himself that he wouldn't have to deal with his behavior in the (hopefully) near future, and that prospect always made him feel better. Of course his new conduct around the longer haired male didn't go unnoticed, Yuri teasing him by saying that he had finally started 'getting use to him'.

Yeah right...they were too drastically different from one another for Flynn to really even fathom some kind of friendship between the two of them. The only thing Yuri was good for was sex. Because he had sworn off any kind of sexual experience with the older male it took him a little while to come around to it, but after he figured that feeling pleasure was better than feeling what he had _that_ day he warmed up to the idea. The hurt he had acquired during his unintentional run in with his mother lingered for days, so much so that sometime it was a chore to just function normally. He pretended that everything was okay, but deep down he felt physically drained, wanting nothing more than to just forgo all of his usual daily activities to just sleep.

Strangely enough Yuri didn't make any sort of comments about this, because he was sure that the older male had noticed that something was off about him. In fact...he hadn't mentioned _anything_ about his mother or the way she had acted toward him. It was better that way...if he played dumb than Flynn didn't need to explain his situation to him. But the longer haired male was bold enough to offer up sex to him when he seemed to in a particularly foul mood, and after thinking it over it was made clear that being fucked was better than feeling like absolute shit. So he just lied on the couch and took the other male's pleasure greedily.

Having sex with Yuri felt the same as if he were having sex with some else; when he was inside of the older man it was good, and when being fucked by him the same could be said...But something was different...The blonde wasn't really sure what it was at first, but after another round he found that it was the familiarity he had acquired from having been with the longer haired male more than once. It was odd since he had never been with the same person twice, so to have actually done so made him feel a bit strange. But of course he knew there was absolutely nothing going on between the two of them because of that, so it was better to just say that they were having casual sex.

He wouldn't go so far as to say they were 'friends with benefits' since there were certainly not friends...Flynn still went out at night since the thought of sleeping with the other male continuously seemed rather boring, and like always it never took him long to find a potential one night stand. Flynn would admit that he didn't think of himself as some damn slut that slept around with anyone who looked nice, because he knew that was how people ended up kidnapped or worse. Talking was the best way to judge a person, because the blonde knew exactly what questions needed to be asked as he scrutinized their facial expressions along with a few other things. If they passed he'd have a good time with them, if they failed he'd kindly excuse himself from the situation, it was that simple.

Since he was usually up by the time he returned back to the apartment, Yuri liked to inquired about his outings, to which the blonde always replied that they were 'okay'. He didn't need to know the full details of his sex life...After coming back he always bathed or took a shower, not wanting the smell of another male to linger on him. Repede always sniffed him constantly if he didn't, and to have a dog that big on him for long periods of time wasn't something he wanted. Their relationship had made small progress, the Akita Inu not staring at him as much though he still acted somewhat reserved around him.

When it came to Yuri it was a completely different story, and he knew very well that it was only because he had known the other male for so long. He wasn't envious or anything, he just found the contrast between the dog's behavior when it came to him and his owner interesting. Yuri had started back to 'work' about a few days after the ordeal, the sound of his fingers typing away through all hours of the night starting back up once more. Flynn had long since figure out how to block out the sound so he could sleep, so it didn't bother him all that much. Anything to eat up the older man's free time, because if he didn't have time to tease him that meant the blonde was happy.

When it came to school he could see himself slipping a bit, but at least he had managed to catch himself before anyone else did...about ninety-nine percent of the time. He usually caught himself staring off into space during class, but at least had the right mind to know exactly what the teacher was talking about. But then the one percent kicked in. He had been caught by the teacher once, his instructor asking if anything was wrong and if he needed to visit the nurse for some reason. Flynn was horrified, deciding that it was probably best to take such an offer up so he could get his head straight. What the hell was the matter with him? His mother's behavior had never really affected his performance in school before, so why was this time so different?

It was Yuri...the older man was an outside force that had gotten involved with his private business, something the blonde never wanted to happen. The longer haired male had been a damn monkey wrench thrown into the machine that was his life, but he'd remove it soon enough...and make sure he never saw it again. But as always he didn't allow the older man's insufferable presence to deter his already crumbling school life; he acted like he usually did when around his friends and Raven, making sure no one even received the faintest hint that something was wrong or off about his life. Obviously because he was a family friend Raven he knew that he lived with a loose cannon, but he made him believe that everything was all right.

When it came to his afternoon affairs things were different; his usual activities when returning to Yuri's place halted so he could take a nap, the blonde so exhausted that he couldn't even fathom staying up any longer. The worst thing was that upon waking up he still felt tired, Flynn taking his time before actually getting up and doing anything. He didn't like feeling so...rundown, both physically and mentally. Something needed to be done...What the hell was the matter with him? The other male tried offering up some kind of advice but he didn't bother to listen.

He didn't doubt that Yuri was an intelligent individual capable of actually helping him, he just didn't want to end up 'owing' him a damn thing. Even if he couldn't read him Flynn could tell that he was a pretty simple guy: he did something for you and he expected to have the favor returned. The problem was that the blonde didn't want to comply with such simple thinking, because he was sure he'd be placed in a situation he found completely demeaning if he did so. Yuri wasn't the serious type, though there were instances when he displayed that he was indeed an adult.

One of those rare occasions occurred after the two of them had arrived back at the apartment after his mother had lost it, and even when he was overcome with such deep self-loathing he still became shocked at the other male's actions. Flynn refused to admit that he cried, he even told Yuri that he wasn't, even when it was painfully obvious that he was. So when the other male didn't point out how he contradicted his words from his actions he felt suspicious. What did Yuri want from him...? He had said that he had just wanted him to 'shut up and cry', but that couldn't have been all...The longer haired male had given so that meant he was obligated to hold up his part of the deal.

But the older man had once again not mentioned anything that had to do with that night, going about his normal business as if nothing had happened at all. He wasn't sure how to take this, but he didn't allow his confusion to make him forget that Yuri was still Yuri. It was for this reason that he continued to believe that the older man would spring something on him one day, and it would be that very day that Flynn flat out refused him because he didn't feel he owed him _anything_ for his shitty excuse for comfort. He did nothing but lie there and stroke his hair, not saying a word after his little 'shut and cry' comment.

After waking up he could only stare at the sleeping figure beside him, a feeling of annoyance slowing making itself known. Comfort was nothing new to him, his own mother consoling him numerous times for various reason, but for the other male to do it...it just felt so foreign...Flynn wasn't even sure if he liked it or not. Well, he was sure he didn't like it even with Yuri acting so gentle with him. What annoyed him so much as the fact that he was still there. Did the longer haired male really believe he needed to be babied? He was neither a baby nor a child, and the sooner Yuri understood this maybe their interactions would've been a lot less taxing on his nerves...

"Hm...I'm not really sure if I should give you one," She leaned over the counter, close enough to him so she could whisper into his ear, "I mean Yuri did tell me you really were jailbait after all."

Flynn stiffened, but wasn't all that surprised...The older man had a big mouth, so why wouldn't he go blabbing to someone he knew well about his new living situation? He wanted to curse loudly, but with Judith so close he decided that small 'tch' was better.

"But even if I wanted to I couldn't; law says you have to be twenty-one to work here, Blondie." She backed off of him, a slightly disappointed look clearly present on her face, "Sorry."

"It's not your fault..." He could only mutter as he sipped on his warm drink, having not ordered his usual since the female bartender suggested he'd try their new non-alcoholic beverage. It only came up since he mentioned he wasn't in any sort of mood to have _anything_ to drink, and upon thinking about it he was probably just being used as her guinea pig for her new concoction.

But it didn't taste bad in the slightest, the blonde was just surprised when he received a hot cup of what looked like tea. He was partially right though; it comprised four different types of fruit juice, something called 'agave syrup', water and, the kicker, chamomile tea. At least he'd get a good nights sleep.

"Why the sudden interest in jobs?" Any normal person would ask that, though he had a few reservation about answering it. She had been communicating with Yuri about things that were better left between him and the older man...but he believed that if he asked her nicely she'd at least withhold what he was going to say to her from said older man.

"Please don't tell Yuri, but I wanna move out of his apartment and get my own place..."

"Really? Heh, Yuri becoming too cocky for you?"

"You have no idea..."

"Oh I have a pretty good idea."

The was a valid response given how long she had known the longer haired male, and his interest was once again peeking as he asked if Yuri had always been so damn obnoxious. He wasn't that surprised when she said that he hadn't changed all that much since high school, though when she called him a 'cocky son of a bitch who had little to no respect for anyone' he could only stare. Was it really okay to call friends that?

"Well there was one person he respected and looked up to, but I can't talk about that so you'll have to ask him directly." She had an extremely pleased look on her face as she spoke, probably because she was well aware that her words had gotten him curious.

Yuri? Respectful to someone? If he hadn't heard it from Judith he would've thought she was a bold face liar. The older man didn't seem like the kind of person who could exude qualities such as 'admiration', only because he acted as if he was better than everyone else. So who was this person who had managed to impress Yuri to the point where they had earned such a high position in the longer haired male's mind? It couldn't have been a teacher since Yuri seemed like to type to not take them seriously no matter what, so then was it another student?

"Don't think too hard about it, just ask him." She giggled a bit at his obviously shocked expression, Flynn a little embarrassed that he had been caught with such a look of deep thought on his face.

"About that...I _really_ hate asking Yuri _anything_...every time I do he turns it into a goddamn spectacle and teases me..."

"Yep, sounds like Yuri all right. Don't worry about that too much; he's just the kind of person who has a hard time taking anything too seriously, so he uses humor to deal with that."

"Well his brand of humor isn't my thing..." He slumped down a bit, elbow on the table as he took another sip of his drink. Flynn damn near spat the concoction out when Judith mentioned that it actually might be _**his**_ fault for the way things had been going at the older man's apartment, quickly questioning her logic when he managed to stop his coughing.

"From what I've heard you've got a pretty big stick shoved up your ass. Yuri's a fun loving guy, so if you have a little fun with him and not take everything so seriously I'm sure things will work out." He could only stare at the female bartender, wondering how he had managed to get a second person to believe that it was his fault for his annoyance towards Yuri.

Why the hell was it his fault...? The older man was the one being unreasonable, so why did he need to change his behavior? There was no reason for him to remove any kind of stick since there wasn't one up there, this fact made very apparent by the way he interacted with his friends. Flynn wasn't stiff...he was clearly capable of having a good time with other people. Yuri was just so damn obnoxious that he couldn't get along with him, so therefore he believed that it was _Yuri_ who needed to change his conduct when around him...

"Come on, don't look like that, I'm not saying it's your fault completely. Yuri can be an arrogant little bastard most of the time, but I'm sure there's some kind of middle ground you two can come to. That way you don't have to move out."

"...Wait, why shouldn't I move out in the first place?"

"Well...quite frankly I think you two seem like..." She stopped for a few seconds, looking as if she was trying to find the right wording as she crossed her arms, "The kind of people who shouldn't live alone."

What was that supposed to mean? Before he could ask Judith was off to serve another patron, and the longer she was gone the more it became apparent that the blonde should've take his leave. Even if it didn't seem like it the conversation felt as if it was going in a direction it shouldn't have, so Flynn removed himself from the bar stood and left without looking back. Judith already knew to place whatever drink he had ordered on Yuri's tab, which he apparently paid on a fairly regular basis. As he existed the building the air no longer held the same chilliness it had weeks ago, the change in season slowly making itself known.

He really didn't mind though since he was far more fond of the heat than the cold, and of course Yuri was the opposite since he complained about the any sort of spike of heat either outside or in the apartment. He couldn't even imagine how the longer haired male would act when the summer heat kicked in...It was quite clear that if he found a job in the following weeks he still wouldn't have enough money to move into a decent apartment, so he deciding that it was probably more realistic to believe that his goal would be reached sometime during the fall. It was quite a ways off, but if he worked hard enough he was sure the days would just fly by.

Not to mention by that time he'd be busy with college...and upon thinking about it he hadn't actually chosen a major just yet. He hadn't really thought about it since his first year was nothing but required courses, but...what would he do for his second year? When younger he had never really had any aspirations to be anything other than his mother's caretaker, since he believed that was the only thing he _should've_ been doing with his life. But he was going to be in college...The school he'd be attending wasn't really known for anything in particular, so their list of courses was rather varied. He'd be a fool to not take advantage of such diversity...

But the problem was that he didn't know what he was particularly good at so he could made a confident decision. Maybe it was just easier to him to take a few courses that sounded interesting, see what they were like and then decide if he wanted to continue with them or not. With a small sigh he decided to just worry about it when the time came, knowing he had much more pressing matters to deal with. Once inside the apartment complex he thought about his mother, wondering if he should not just visit the house but her as well. He still feared her, but she was still his mother and after seeing her flip out on him recently the desire to check on her arose.

At the moment he was far more concerned with his mother's well being than his own, so maybe if he gathered enough courage he'd be able to see her that weekend. He had to wonder though...would Yuri follow him? He knew where he lived after all, which of course annoyed him to no end. Lying about where he was going was not an option, and staying silent would only lead to the longer haired male following him around. So...what would he do? The closer he became to the to the room the more apparent it became that the only thing he could do was take Yuri along with him.

And it was also apparent that the more he thought about the other male coming along the more aggravated he became. It was bad enough Yuri had seen something that was supposed to be between him and his mother, but now he had to invite the other male to come back and do it again? As he entered the Yuri's apartment he couldn't help but slam the door, tucking the key he had gotten from the older man into his pocket before plopping down on the couch.

"You're back earlier than expected." As always Yuri commented without looking away from his computer monitor, "Slim pickings tonight?"

"I just wasn't in the mood so I left..." He allowed the irritation he felt to carry over in his voice, turning over to face the back of the couch as he did so.

"So then did you talk to Judith about anything-?"

"Yeah, I did, and that reminds me...stop telling people I'm underage and uptight."

"I don't believe I've ever called you uptight."

"Then stop telling people I'm underage and have a 'stick up my ass'!"

He could only grit his teeth as the other male began laughing hysterically, Yuri commenting that him saying something like that with such a serious tone could only be described as hilarious. Goddammit, why did he feel the need to turn everything into a joke? He needed to cool his head, but as he turned over to remove himself from the couch he was met with none other than the source of his annoyance. He was crouching down, he usual amused look on his face as he reached over and flicked his nose.

"O-Ow-!"

"But no matter how you phrase it the fact still remains. It's not healthy to be so pissed off all the time, you'll get wrinkles in that pretty face of your before your twenty-five." He deciding that saying anything about the longer haired male's poor choice of words (handsome was a much better word than pretty) would've been pointless, so Flynn just stayed on topic.

"I just can't get along with extremely annoying people, that's all..."

"Can't? You shouldn't use a word like that unless you've actually attempted to do something, and if I'm recalling correctly there hasn't been any effort on your part in trying to get along with me." And he was once again blamed. He quickly closed his mouth just as he was about to start protesting, finding that the repetitiveness of his own words when trying to defend himself to not only be tiresome but futile.

Okay, so then what if the whole problem was his fault? What then? What could be done to make things better? What kind of 'middle ground' could be reached between the two of them? He asked the other male this, making sure he mentioned that it was Judith who had wanted the two of them to do just that. Yuri merely tilted his head to the side, asking him what he believed to be a reasonable compromise for the two of them. The problem lied when Yuri used the word 'reasonable', because the list of things he had wanted to say to the older man just became much, much shorter. Hell, it was almost non-existent at that point.

"...You could stop teasing me so much. Once in a while is all right I guess, but not every goddamn day..." That sounded 'reasonable', especially given that he hadn't outright banned the older man from doing so...which he wanted to do so badly.

"Okay, I can manage that much. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment..."

"All right...See? That wasn't so hard, right?" Flynn didn't say anything to that, he just turned back over on the couch and decided to wait for the longer haired male to leave. He was still pretty pissed off that he'd have to bring Yuri along with him this weekend, knowing that sleeping off his irritation would've been nothing but a waste of time on his part especially given that he could've been doing something much more productive with his time.

After a few minutes it became rather clear that the longer haired male hadn't moved from his spot, and upon turning back around he questioned just what else he wanted.

"I'm on break and need entertainment."

And Flynn was irritated and in need of something to do...so he decided that it was a no better time than any for the two of them to screw. It was just how it worked for the two of them; if one of them wanted attention the other usually didn't say no, and once done the they always returned to whatever they were doing beforehand. Pulling the older man forward he crushed their lips together, knowing full well that gentle wasn't really an option at that point. Being gentle meant going slow, and going slow meant it would take longer for him to get off.

It only took a few quick movements for Yuri to be on top of him, and since the blonde didn't feel like being all that productive he decided to let the longer haired male take the lead. Like always Yuri's fingers were warm, so he couldn't help but tense when they made their way up his shirt. Tongues battled for dominance, because even in the heat of passion Flynn still refused to lose to the other male. Of course Yuri was a tricky bastard and managed to get him to moan first, though it wasn't his kissing technique that did it. He had pressed his knee against his crotch, the hard rubbing motion causing him to buck and moan into the other's mouth.

Before parting he could tell that the longer haired male was smirking, which was why he had called him an 'ass' when given the chance to. When his fingers rubbed up against his nipples Flynn told him to forgo the foreplay, but of course Yuri didn't listen and him pinching his nipples was his way of saying so. Goddamn him...but instead of complaining he just lied there, knowing he probably should've developed a little more patience when dealing with the older man while they were in such a position. He squirmed a bit when his neck was assaulted, knowing his protests about not leaving a mark would fall on deaf ears.

A small groan left his lips as the longer haired male's teeth came in contact with the skin of his neck, his pearly whites biting down on him before being replaced with is tongue. All the while the hands that were on his chest were now pulling up his shirt, and once it was close enough he removed the rest of it himself, tossing it over the side of the couch where Repede would without a doubt lie on it. He wasn't really sure why he did this...but Flynn knew he wasn't very fond of the smell of dog when he went to put his clothes back on. The other male's mouth traveled down his neck, licking and nipping at everything it came in contact with until it finally stopped at his now hardened nub.

He squirmed a bit more when the sensitive piece of flesh was nipped, body arching ever so slightly into the other male's touch. He very much acknowledged that his body was weak to pleasure, so he saw no shame in showing it...even if it was Yuri providing the simulation. When his other nipple was tended to, the older man's fingers gently squeezing it before twisting it in a back and forth motion, he let out a rather hungry sounding groan. Ah, right...he had been so busy with trying to find a job that week that he hadn't been taking care of himself like he usually did, as a result he was reacting a bit _too_ much to the other's touch.

The other male soon switched his movements, performing the same actions to the opposite nipples. His groans soon dissolved into greedy moans when that damn knee once again rubbed against his crotch, his now hard member a victim of friction. He bucked once more, trying his best to get Yuri to hurry the hell up and undo his pants. Instead he took his time, merely rubbing his knee against him once more as he began to descend. At least he was going the right way...He licked his way down, nipping at the sports on his stomach that made him want to lose it. When he paused at his bellybutton Flynn squirmed, knowing full well that the area around his navel was about to be pepped with dark marks that wouldn't fully heal till probably the next day.

But then something horrible happened...the goddamn phone started to ring. Thankfully Yuri ignored it, giving him another hard nip to his stomach and causing him to arch up and moan a little louder. But when a voice was heard over the answering machine the older man instantly stopped, stumbling to his feet and damn near tripping as he sprinted to the phone. The hell was that about...? As he lied there, irritated, unsatisfied and a little but curious Flynn listened in on the conversation that had halted their his getting off.

"Ah, sorry, I was a little busy...Huh? R-Really?" Looking over he saw that the older man had that goofy look on his face again, and it really made him wonder just what had gotten him so excited, "So when is the release date? S-So soon? Wow...T-They do? I-I'll get right on it then! A-All right, bye."

Yuri wasn't too far away from him, so as he watched as he placed the phone back where it belonged he couldn't help but note that his hand was shaking. His eyes followed him as the other male walked back over to him, but instead of continuing where the had left off he merely sat never to him, staring at his trembling hands with such fascination.

"...Um-"

"I-I'm getting published."

"...Aren't you already published...?"

"This is completely different."

Flynn stared up at him for a bit, no more words being exchanged between the two of them for a good while. It was quite clear that Yuri felt rather accomplished, and he might not have held the other in high regard but he wasn't so annoyed with him that he wouldn't say anything about his achievement...even if he was slightly confused with the matter. So he muttered a small 'congratulations' as he went to retrieve his shirt, the longer haired male bashfully saying that he didn't need to do that for him. Damn he was really acting out of character...then again something like this had never arisen before, so maybe this was his usual behavior during such a situation.

"So, um...what makes this so different from the other times?" Why wouldn't he ask the obvious? Given how much enthusiasm he lacked when talking about his romance novels it was quite clear that those were not the source of his glee.

"Well, I've been working on this story for a good while now, and it's something I'm proud to put my name on." Ah, right...he had said he didn't want to put his name on the other novels because he wasn't that fond of them.

So he had finally published something that he felt was up to his standards, and after another moment of silence, albeit much shorter than the last, he asked just what he had written. Yuri quickly got to his feet, walking over to the bookcase near his computer where he pulled out a rather large stack of papers. With his lust long forgotten the moment the other male had gotten the phone he needed something to do, so why not looking over the piece Yuri had so much faith in? When handed to him Flynn took a moment to look over its size, guessing that the whole thing was probably over two hundred pages. He really had been working...

Before he began to read he had to tell the older man to back up a bit, because he really couldn't read when someone was that close and staring that hard at him. Yuri seemed to understand, leaving the couch so he could go back to his computer...further evidence that he was probably wasn't going to get laid that night. After he was sure the older man wasn't staring at him any longer he began to flip through the manuscript, and after some time had passed it became quite clear that he was a little bit too absorbed in what he was reading.

It was without a doubt different from his other works, the glaring fact that it was in the fantasy genre giving that away right from the start. Flynn wasn't really into that that kind of stuff, but...he surprisingly found himself interested in the long quest that was taking place. Everything just seemed to flow together so well, the character interactions in no way felt forced and the events weren't rushed. It was... _good_. After a while he placed it all down, needing a break since Flynn had come to find out that he had been reading for at least three hours straight. Rubbing his eyes a bit he looked over to Yuri, who sitting back in his office chair, grinning at him all the while.

"Well?" The sly bastard had a bit too much confidence in his work...but he had every right to.

"It was...pretty good, but I have to ask...are you really into that kind of stuff...?"

"I guess you never asked before so I'll tell you..." He made himself comfortable as he leaned back in his office chair, arms hanging over the back, "I'm a fantasy geek."

"...Bullshit."

"No bull. Why is it so hard to believe?"

Flynn was trying his best to figure out what he could've said that didn't sound horribly stereotypical, and after he had exhausted all options he came to the conclusion that it was actually quite possible for the longer haired male to be a geek. It was still odd though...Yuri just didn't seem like the type of person to have that kind of interest, but once again it all came down to the fact that he still didn't know him. How long had the two of them been living together...? Annoying or not he should've known more about Yuri at that point...He understood that there really wasn't any point to start acting all buddy-buddy since he was trying to move out, but...some effort on his part should've made.

"So, um...do you have a favorite book, movie and so on?" Goddammit, why did he feel so awkward asking that?

"Ah, well...at the moment my current obsession is _Game of Thrones_ , the books and the show. Of course being the good fantasy geek that I am I love _Harry Potter_ , _The Lord of the Rings_ , _The Hobbit_ and any movie made by Hayao Miyazaki. There's a whole list of books and movies I like, though I'm not sure if you've heard of them or not. The ones I mentioned are on the last and second to last shelves of my bookcase in my room, the rest are under my bed in a box." If Yuri had been a dog his tail would've been wagging non-stop, because that seemed to be the only accurate way to describe how happy he appeared to be.

Damn...he _really was_ a geek. Though he had to admit...it must've been nice being that interested in something he liked. Flynn really didn't have any sort of hobbies like that so he found it a little hard to relate to him, but he kind of wished he did...Maybe then his life wouldn't have seemed so damn boring. Getting up he handed the manuscript back to Yuri, muttering that he hoped everything went well for him.

"Oh, and..." Right, he actually needed to talk to him about something important, "I'm going back to my place to check on my mother this Saturday...I'm only asking you to come since I know you'll stalk me there if I try leaving without saying anything."

"You're right, I would stalk you there." The smirk on his face was a little unnerving, and it really made Flynn wonder just how far Yuri's stalking tendencies would go.

"...Aren't you going to ask...?"

"About what?"

"My mother..."

The older male looked at him hard, asking if he _wanted_ him to ask about his mother and what had gone on the last time they had gone. Quite frankly he didn't want him to, because Flynn still firmly believed that an outsider was not needed for his situation. But the problem lied with that...an outsider _had_ invaded such a personal situation, and the blonde was at a complete loss as to what should've been done. Making him swear to never bring it up seemed logical, but with him coming with him to his home once again made the whole thing seemed pointless.

Talking was...an option...but talking to a stranger about his home life didn't sit well with him the slightest. That's the best thing he could describe Yuri as...a stranger...but that stranger seemed to be willing to hear him out without judging him. After all he hadn't said anything about what had happened during their last visit, and had outright asked if he wanted to talk. He didn't completely trust the older man, and it was for that reason that he had quite a few qualms about saying anything to him.

"I...don't know...I probably should say yes, but I don't want to..." It was all he could say, wondering why he felt so conflicted when in the past things had been so clear-cut when it came to dealing with the older man.

"...Then just tell me to ask you when what you want to do and what you need to do are the same thing." Yuri turned back to his computer after he was finished speaking, the blonde allowing his words to sink in as he stared at him.

He shouldn't have been so surprised with the longer haired male giving him such a simplistic answer, but as he contemplated about the things he 'wanted' and 'needed' to do it turned out that the answer _wasn't_ so simple. Until recently the blonde had always done what was needed, and even if him going out and getting laid on a regular basis the need still very much outweighed the want. Flynn really didn't do much for himself...

"I...um...my mother-"

"Don't force yourself, Blondie. I'm a pretty patient guy and I've never had the problem of prying into people's personal lives, so just take your time"

Yuri really could act like an adult sometimes...But as the blonde stood there, eyes still very much focused on the longer haired male, he had to wonder...if he told this adult about the things that plagued him, what would become of their acquaintanceship...?

Not knowing seemed to terrify him greatly...


	7. Shot Seven: Friend

Sometimes Flynn really wished he watched his mouth a little more, if he did he probably wouldn't have been wasting his free time on the weekend at the mall of all places. It was Estelle's idea, and it wouldn't have been a thought in her head if it wasn't for his comment about his lack of tuxedo for the prom. He wasn't being completely truthful though...he actually had access to a rather old tux that his father had kept in the back of the closet in a rather large box. The suit, however, no longer resided in the closet since he had to remove it so it could avoid his mother's purging of anything that reminded her of his father. She hadn't just destroyed his photographs...oh no, she had nearly destroyed the house.

He had only managed to save a few things...and even if he loved his mother, it was one of the few times he really hated her. Flynn felt she didn't have the right to treat his father's things in such a way, to destroy them along with the proof that there had been someone else living in their house. She was...practically erasing his existence. And it was because he wouldn't stand for such an act that he had stored what little of his father's belongings he could get his hands on in the far corner of the attic, a place he was sure the older woman would never look.

But for him to actually put on his father's tuxedo was too much for him to comprehend. If his mother destroying it would've erased his existence than Flynn wearing it wouldn't defiled it. He wasn't worthy of wearing anything that belonged to that man...not when he felt so inferior to him. His father had been a great man, someone to be looked up to and admired and the younger blonde would freely admit that if he ever did come out to his parents his father would've been his first choice. Even if he feared the consequences of his actions Flynn felt that the older man, even if he didn't necessarily agree with his attraction to men, would support his happiness.

By the time the words 'I don't have a tux' left his lips it was already too late, Estelle letting out a shriek that damn near made Yuri crash the car. After a while it became clear that the older man wasn't going to stop picking him or the younger girl up from school, and he'd admit that it at least saved him quite a bit of money on bus fair...After her shriek she quickly asked why he wasn't prepared for the prom that was only a few weeks away, Flynn muttering that he would've gotten around to it eventually. In actuality he had no plans to get one at all, hoping to fringe ignorance when the day of the prom came and get himself off the hook that way. But no...he just had to open his goddamn mouth...

After getting an ear full from Estelle she announced that they'd be taking a trip to the mall that weekend to pick one up for him, the blonde tensing a bit as he thought of venturing into that hellhole. Now he had nothing against it, in fact he found it rather convenient to have so much in one place. What he disliked about the whole idea of going to the mall was with all the people going to be there during the weekend the inside of the large building would be disgustingly warm. Flynn might've liked the heat, but not _that_ kind of heat. He also just didn't want to get a tuxedo because he still wasn't interested in going to his prom...especially if Yuri was attending. That was far too much involvement in his life for his liking, and with the older man coming along he was sure there was going to be some kind incident.

Why wouldn't there be? He'd be bringing someone who obviously wasn't a student, and if that wasn't bad enough it would've looked questionable with him walking in with another guy. Granted he'd also be going with Estelle and Rita, but the fact that a non-student would be accompanying them still remained. And what if Raven was chaperoning that night? He'd easily spot him in the crowd and when he came over to speak about, what else, his mother before he realized that there was a face he hadn't seen before with him. Flynn would lie, like always, but that wouldn't help him from being nervous...and he really hoped that the older teacher didn't notice.

Why did Yuri always have to make his life so damn complicated? But he'd admit...at least with him around the blonde could manage a quick getaway. Things at his house hadn't gone exactly as planned...but then he had been a fool to think they would. Hell, during the car ride over he had been sure that something was going to happen. Things were silent in Yuri's vehicle, the older male not so much as giving him any words of encouragement or doing anything that would calm his nerves. It was better that way...He wasn't really sure if it was because he lacked the right words for the situation or felt that none were needed, but Flynn was at least grateful that the other male had kept silent.

He hesitated when getting out the car, noticing that Yuri did not follow nor turn off the engine. And it was back to the 'please' again...The longer haired male would get out the car and follow him...only when Flynn opened his mouth and said something. But him throwing his pride away for a short while was a small price to pay for some kind of...assurance that he'd get out of his house in one piece if his mother snapped. So he invited the other male to go in with him, wavering once more before he finally opened the door to his house. Before he could make it past the living room his mother quickly rushed out of the kitchen (based solely on which direction she had come from) and hugged him, the younger blonde instantly freezing.

But he knew from the wetness that was slowly dripping down onto his hair that the action wasn't something to be feared, so he merely embraced her back, listening as she apologized to him again and again. He briefly wondered, like he always did whenever she held him so, if her actions were sincere. What if she was just playing the role of a apologetic mother because she knew he'd forgive her? Because she knew that when he forgave her he was pretty much giving her a free pass to act like that again...? No...she might've been out of her mind but she wasn't cruel. After the older woman was done apologizing she asked if he was hungry, and give that it was about a little after twelve he supposed he could've at least stayed for lunch.

He decided to stay in his room while she cooked, Yuri commenting on how disturbingly clean the small space was. The younger blonde didn't bother replying, far too absorbed in the fact that it had been far too long since he had lied in his own bed. Why had things become so messed up that he couldn't even sleep in his own goddamn bed...? Complaining wouldn't do a thing for him, Flynn fully aware that if he wanted to change something the will to do so lied solely with him. But...to change things meant the biggest factor as to why everything in his life was so screwy needed to be dealt with. Maybe he should've sat her down and had a long chat with her, one involving her behavior towards him and the fact that his father wouldn't have wanted her to suffer the way she currently was.

Yeah, that...that sounded like a good idea, but would it work? He'd have to work up the nerve to do so...which is what he tried to do during lunch. He played with his bowl of chicken noodle soup and barely touched his club sandwich, his mother inquiring if he wasn't feeling well. Every time she spoke to him he felt himself physically tense up, and every time he did he felt Yuri's hand on his knee. The older man never looked over at him though, merely eating his meal and acting as if he wasn't giving him some kind of strange comfort. He didn't understand why the longer haired male even bothered, especially when it wouldn't change the situation all that much.

By the end of the meal he wasn't able to talk to his mother about what he wanted, nerves never once calming enough for him to actually speak. He feared that their talk would've lead her to have another breakdown, one bad enough to rival the one where he had been sent to the hospital. That thought was enough to make him forget about the conversation he wanted with his mother. Be she still snapped regardless, the younger blonde having resisted the older woman's aggressive advances once again. Yuri had managed to get him out of there without too many problems, Flynn not at all surprised at how badly he was shaking.

Because he wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings Flynn didn't notice until they had stopped that the older man had pulled into a vacant lot, and before he could question just why they were there Yuri had climbed onto his lap, pushing the seat back as far as it could go. They had sex right there. Anything was better was pain...which was why he drowned himself in pleasure to forget about it if only for a little while. He _deserved_ some kind of escape from his problems...Once done the older man slipped back into the driver seat, and the blonde really couldn't blame him for wincing a little as he sat. He'd admit he'd been a little rough with him.

The two of them didn't say anything during the ride back, and all the while Flynn wondered if there would ever be an end to the worthless feeling he had accumulated from his last two visits with his mother. Maybe he should've stopped trying to see her...but if he did and something happened to her he'd only blame himself. It was a dilemma he didn't want to have to make a decision for, because it meant either being selfish or putting his mother's well-being before his own. Then again he'd been doing the latter for some years...so why bother changing anything?

When the day came for him to finally go to the mall Flynn's worst fears had come true: it was packed, it was hot and it felt absolutely _disgusting_. He was really ready to tell Yuri to take him back home, but before he could do so he was spotted by Estelle. She was being accompanied by Rita, who seemed far more interested in her handheld video game than what was going on around her. Truth be told he couldn't blame her. There were a million other things he could've been doing besides wasting his time in the mall, but he had a hard time denying things when Estelle was involved. He wished he had the ability to give her a firm 'no' when he really wasn't interested in something.

It wasn't until the blonde thought up a wonderful explanation for why he should've just gone home empty handed that he felt that things would turn in his favor, and it was shame he hadn't thought of it sooner. There was no way in hell he could afford buying a tuxedo. When he managed to get the words 'I can't afford-' out of his mouth Yuri just had to chime in, saying that if money was an issue he'd buy it for him. God...damn him...Sometimes he really wished the older man would just keep his mouth shut. So without delay he was dragged to the first men's formal wear shop they came by, and he was so ready to bolt to the point where it wasn't even funny.

The man that had greeted them didn't look particularly interested in helping them, but Flynn understood. If he was in his position the last thing he wanted to deal with were a bunch of kids who looked like they weren't going to buy anything...but he at least would've been a little more professional about it. Since Flynn had exhausted all of his escape options he at least wanted to get something he liked, and he made that perfectly clear by turning down every suggestion that was given to him. But in him doing that he only made things harder on himself...he really didn't know a thing about tuxedos or what would look good on him.

It was a little frustrating on his part, but to save himself from embarrassment he'd have to think of something. After what seemed like ages he finally found a few things that at least looked like they might've gone well together, gathering them all up before going into the nearest changing room. Everything was going just fine with him putting everything one, the pants then the dress shirt and then the vest...but things started to head downhill when he tried to deal with the tie. He just couldn't get it right for some reason, his lack of experience with one obviously contributing to his failure. After several attempts he decided that it was probably best for him to just ask for assistance. So he peeked his head out of the dressing room and tried to get someone's attention.

"Um..." He wasn't sure why he sounded so apprehensive, "Does anyone know how to tie a tie...?"

"What kind?"

"...Huh?"

"What kind?"

He wasn't really aware what kind of knot he wanted (or the fact that there was more than one), so he just told Yuri that 'any' would've been fine. The blonde was pushed back into the changing room, the older man taking the tie he had failed to put on countless time and placing it around his neck. Flynn was a bit surprised at just how fast the longer haired male's fingers were going, but at the same time they seemed to know exactly what they were doing. All the while there was silence between the two of them, and when it seemed like the older man was about to finish he decided to finally say something in regards to his current working situation.

"...I got a job." He noticed the way the other male's hands slowed a bit before they continued what they were doing.

"Really? Where?" It didn't take Flynn long to figure out what the question was really about. The older man was pretty much asking him 'where is your place of employment so I can stalk you there and annoy the ever loving shit out of you', and the blonde wasn't dumb enough to allow that to happen while he still had a chance to prevent it.

"Just around..." The only thing he could do was be vague, and as he took the jacket off of the hanger and slipped it on he couldn't help but notice the rather curious look on Yuri's face. He wasn't going to say anything...and even if he did he'd probably be teased relentlessly by the other male.

He had taken up the job of 'shop-boy' at a newly opened bakery, and it was his job was to pretty much man the front of the store. He worked the cash register, served the customers, replaced the empty trays of baked good and made sure the front of the shop stayed clean. Of course those weren't his only duties while working there, in fact the main reason he had been hired was because of his looks. Apparently they were looking for someone to attract a lot of female customers, and when they found out how handy he was Flynn was pretty much guaranteed the job.

"Well someone looks rather snazzy." The sound of Yuri whistling as he stared at him from head to toe was a little annoying, but as he gazed at his own reflection he couldn't help but notice how different he looked.

"Come on, everyone is waiting to see what you look like." Before he could even protest being pushed he was already out of the dressing room, stumbling a bit as he faced his friend and the person he believed she had dragged along with her. Estelle looked stunned, and he really couldn't blame her, the smaller girl shaking her equally small friend to try and get her attention.

Rita only looked up for a few seconds before going back to her game, the brunette muttering a small 'looks okay' before falling silent again. Since he had little to no interest in looking around the store again he decided to go with what he had, the girls having to leave so he could strip down to his underwear and have the store clerk get his exact measurements. Since it needed to be tailored to fit him correctly he'd have to come and pick up everything at a later date, the blonde setting the pickup time for a few days before the prom.

With a deep sigh he left the store to rejoin his Estelle and Rita, so ready to leave but knowing full well that he wouldn't get off that easily. So when his wrist was grabbed, Estelle telling him that she wanted to buy something, he knew he'd be in for a long day. Five stores and six bags later Flynn was completely exhausted. After hours in the humid building he needed some kind of break, so they decided to hold themselves up in the food court until further notice. The blonde had gotten himself a energy, because with the heat bearing down on him he couldn't help but feel tired. Estelle apologized over and over again for having dragged them around the mall for most of the afternoon, Flynn offering up a weak smile before he muttered a small 'it's fine'.

The odds of him going shopping with her again during such weather? Extremely low...

"If you wanna go to the bookstore I'm pretty sure it's okay." The clearly wasn't directed at him, so with his head still down on the table he looked to see who Yuri was addressing. It was Rita. It was one of the rare times when she wasn't looking down at her game, the expression on her face akin to that of a kid who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"H-Huh? I don't-"

"You've been glancing out it for some time now." Well he could easily say this was the most emotion he'd ever seen on the girl's face. The first and foremost was embarrassment, a deep blush spreading a across her face as she opened and quickly closed it, apparently not completely aware of what she wanted to say.

The next emotion, well...it was a little harder to really tell how angry she was given how deeply flushed her face was.

"I-I'm sorry, it was really selfish of me to drag you all around without thinking you might've wanted to do something else. If you wanna go to the bookstore we can go, Rita." He felt kind of bad since it was quite clear she was being ganged up on, but he had to admit...he was slightly curious as to why the quiet girl seemed to be so nervous about such a simple thing.

"I-I...I-It's not like that...I-I mean I... **UGH**!" The table shook rather violently when she slammed her hands against it, the flustered girl getting up before she stormed over in the direction of the bookstore. Everyone fell silent after that, though Yuri did stop Estelle from going after her.

Though there wasn't any point in the smaller girl going after her friend in the first place since Rita wasn't gone for all the long, the seemingly irritated girl storming back to their table where she promptly plopped down next to Estelle, arms crossed and hands completely empty-handed. The older male tried to make some comment about her lack of books, but she quickly told him to shut up, adding that they didn't have the book she was looking for.

"Um...what book was it...?" Those were the most words he had spoken to her all day, and Flynn really wasn't sure why he decided to jump into the conversation. Rita stared at him hard, so hard in fact that the blonde had to look away after a while because he feared suddenly being consumed by flames if he continued to look.

"It was just...a new book a few people at school were talking about. I just wanted to see what the big deal was..." Her voice seemed to become smaller and smaller the longer she spoke, Flynn unaware of any kind of buzz that went around the school since that kind thing never really interested him.

Estelle seemed to know what she was talking about, and as she gave a brief description of whatever novel Rita was talking about he couldn't help but glance over at the longer haired male. Yes, he was definitely enjoying the attention the two of them were unknowingly giving him. After awhile the look on his face became a little annoying to look at, so he slapped him on the back which earned a loud 'gah!' from the older man.

"Come on, stop being so damn smug and fess up."

"C-Christ Blondie, could you have hit me any harder...?"

"Actually I could've, but that's beside the point."

Estelle was the first to inquire about what exactly they were talking about, Flynn flatly stating that the book the still clearly annoyed girl was talking about was written by Yuri. The brunette once again went through too many emotions in one sitting, first being shock followed by contemplation, realization and irritation. Clearly she didn't believe him, and judging by the look on her face she probably believed that he was just messing with her.

"R-Really, I'm not joking, he really did write it." She was still glaring at him but soon directed it at the older man, telling him to 'prove it' since she clearly wouldn't trust anything the blonde said.

"All right, I'll send a signed copy of it along with Blondie here on Monday." Flynn really didn't like the idea of him being an errand boy, but if it meant proving that he was telling the truth he'd suck it up and do it. She muttered a small 'yeah right' before going silent, though she didn't stay that way for long.

It seemed that Yuri getting her to speak opened up the floodgates, and maybe that was his plan from the start. At first she came off as completely introverted, barely speaking when spoken to and never once starting up a conversation with anyone. It really seemed as if the world around her was far less interesting than the world she had been dealing with in the palm of her hands. But this proved to be false...all she really seemed to need was a push and once given she'd come out of shell.

The brunette was loud, opinionated and didn't hesitate for a second to tell people off (though she always seemed to spare Estelle). But regardless of this she was easily brought back down from her high horse, usually with a comment made by either him or Yuri. She hated it to no end. Estelle seemed to enjoy their light banter, listening on with a smile and occasionally laughing at something that was said between the three of them. It was...so different from what he was use to. When going out it was usually just him and his long time friend, and even if he had a good time it seemed to lack any kind of energy.

But what was currently going on around him, Yuri being his usual smug self, Rita getting annoyed with him and Estelle giggling at everything...he could easily say that it was a nice change of pace.

"You look like you're in a better mood today, Flynn." He was a bit taken aback by her comment, and from the look on Estelle's face he could tell that she seemed...relived? Why?

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Lately you've seemed...I don't know, not like yourself. I was really worried, but to see you acting like you again puts my mind at ease."

Maybe she was a lot more perceptive than the blonde gave her credit for. He really hated to worry others, which was another reason why he refused to tell anyone about the things he kept secret. But he had been slipping recently...the façade he had been building up for some time slowly cracking because the things his mother said continued to replay in his head like a goddamn broken record. Flynn hadn't been himself...but this little outing had made him momentarily forget about her words.

"Sorry for worrying you...I've just had a lot on my mind lately..." There was as part of him that wanted to tell her just what had been making him act so out of character, but knew he couldn't...

"Don't worry, I'm making sure this guy here keeps up his good mood." Flynn nearly fell forward from the force of the longer haired male hitting his back, the only thing keeping him doing so being the arm that had slung itself around his neck, his cheek pressed against his.

The blonde didn't like this...the two of them were much too close for his liking, and this wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't in public. He hadn't meant for his shove to be so violent or for his voice to sound so threatening when he shouted 'stop!'. He didn't like the silence that had fallen between the four of them, all eyes on him as awkward tension began to form. Why did Yuri always have to do unnecessary things...? The blonde tried to say something but all his words became stuck in his throat, and even if he could speak there was no way he'd be able to voice why he didn't want the other male touching him like that.

So he did one of the few things he was actually good at...he ran. He didn't stop even when Estelle called out to him, his mind screaming at him that he just needed to get the hell out of there. Everything was going so well...but then he had to go and freak out because the older man had touched him in such a way. But he was afraid...He didn't want his female friend to receive any kind of hint about his sexual orientation. He'd tell her...eventually...but for the time being the only thing he could do was run from the situation...

He finally stopped in the parking lot, catching his breath a bit before he decided to look for Yuri's car. He'd wait for everyone there, and by the time they'd arrive hopefully he'd have an answer for his sudden retreat. After locating the older male's vehicle he slumped against it, wondering why so many things in his life were so goddamn complicated. If he was more open about things he probably wouldn't have had to distance himself from the people who care about him, if he had been more like Yuri...he couldn't help but grit his teeth as that thought suddenly appeared. Flynn hated to admit it but...if he had been more open like the older man then maybe he could've lessened the burden he had been carrying around.

Sliding down to the point where he was sitting, back against the driver seat door, his stomach churned uncomfortable at the undeniable truth.

"There better not be any new dents on my car."

Flynn didn't bother to look up, far too distraught to really care that the other male was there. He did glance over at him when Yuri sat down next to him, but his eyes were quickly drawn to the ground before his gaze could meet his.

"So...what was that all about...?"

"You were just too close..." He knew the other male was giving him some kind of look so he further explained himself, "I just...didn't want them to see us like that...sorry I overreacted."

"...Why don't you just tell her?"

"It's not that simple-"

"Really? Because it seems to me that you're making the whole thing into a 'not that simple' situation..." Of course he'd say something like that...because everything to Yuri Lowell was so damn straightforward.

Just because the prospect of something good happening was there didn't mean it'd actually turn out well; Estelle could've easily rejected their friendship because of her personal beliefs, which he'd admit he wasn't aware of. It was a gamble...one Flynn really wasn't sure he was willing to take.

"Look, Estelle seems like an understanding girl-"

"I know that! I know she's understanding, kind and probably the most decent person outside of my family I'll ever meet in my lifetime, b-but..." He was scared...scared that the understanding, kind and decent person would come to hate him. Running his fingers through his hair he decided that he wouldn't take such a risk, that it wasn't worth losing someone he cared about over since she'd find out eventually, right?

"...I have the horrible feeling you're thinking of something really stupid, Flynn..." The blonde wanted to give him some kind of nasty retort, but from the way the older man was looking at him he couldn't. The look that was currently making him tense was very reminiscent of the one Yuri had given him the night the two of them had first met, that demanding look Flynn couldn't look away from no matter how hard he tried.

"You probably haven't come out to anyone close to you, so I'll make this short...come out to your best friend so you can have some kind of support." It didn't seem fair to say that Yuri didn't understand his situation, because he was sure that just because he was open about his sexual orientation he probably had struggled with it at some point.

Even if he acted like a completely ass most of the time, there were facts about him that were hard to deny...The longer haired male was older than him, and since he had been in the world longer he understood what it was like to be gay much better than the blonde did. Finally breaking eye contact Flynn wanted to tell him that he didn't understand, but he probably did...which was why the only thing he could do was grow silent and figure out what he should've been doing- no...what he _wanted_ to do.

"FLYNN!" He damn near jumped an inch off the ground when he heard his name being called it such a way, and upon looking up he was shocked to see that the source was none of than Estelle. As she walked over to him, Rita right behind her, he couldn't help but noticed how upset she looked, and as he stood to try and explain himself (with a lie of course) he was met with a hard shove.

"H-Hey, what-"

"Why did you run from us? I was so worried! You didn't even pick up your cell when I called!" As he was shoved once more against Yuri's car he didn't recall hearing his phone ring, but then again he was far more focused on getting the hell out of that building than anything else.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't run away from me anymore! I-It seriously scared me...you can be such a jerk sometimes, Flynn..." There were few things he had never wanted to do to Estelle...and with her practically in tears he was doing one of those very things.

"Estelle, I...I'm so sorry..." He brought her close, a gesture that wasn't foreign to either of them, "I didn't mean to make you cry...there's this thing that's been eating at me, a-and..."

It wasn't right for him not to tell her what is was...releasing her from their hug he looked her in eye, praying to every god he could think of that she didn't look at him with disgust. He treated this situation much like he had when coming out to himself, taking a deep breath before he allowed the words 'I'm gay' to flow out of his mouth. She just stared at him, expression completely unreadable and Flynn was doing everything in his power to not panic.

"...And?"

"...Huh?"

"And? I guess I should say I'm shocked but I'm really not...I don't really mind who you like, Flynn. Is that what you were so worried about?" The blonde could only nod in shock, having lost the ability to speak upon hearing his long time friend say that she pretty much didn't care that he was gay. He wanted to smile and be happy, but he was correct with his assumption of her getting angry because had been keeping something so important from her.

He was yelled at, shoved against the car a few more times and hit in the chest, and all the while Flynn knew he deserved it. When she was finally done scolding him Estelle latched onto him, saying that it was wrong of him to keep her out of the loop for so long, and as he bit down on his bottom lip the blonde knew he had only scratched the surface of things he wanted to tell her. But no matter how small it was progress was progress, so he allowed himself not to feel too guilty for not telling her about his mother, who Yuri really was and his current living situation.

It would all come in time.

When everything had settled down Estelle finally calmed herself, saying that she'd always been there for him no matter what. He felt his chest tighten a bit at her words, slightly ashamed with himself for not seeking her support much earlier. Her and...oh shit...he had completely forgotten that Rita was there. Quickly drawing his gaze away from the girl in front of him to the girl standing beside her, the small brunette was slightly startled by his sudden action.

"W-What? I'm not gonna tell anyone anything if that's what you're worried about. I'm not interested in spreading gossip about you liking dudes." She said the last part in a matter-of-fact tone, but that didn't mean the blonde let her off the hook. He didn't know her, all of his perceptions of her based solely on how she had acted during their short time together.

"I can vouch for her Flynn, she won't tell." After as few seconds he backed down after that, knowing that Estelle might've been naïve but she would never befriend someone she thought was malicious.

After such an emotional event it was truly time to leave the mall, and as they all piled into Yuri's car he couldn't help but feel slightly...different. He didn't feel as heavy as he had previously, the idea of him finally having his close friend to talk to making him smile a bit. Flynn really didn't say much during the ride, feeling so lightheaded to the point where he really couldn't keep up with the conversation going on around him. But it was okay...he felt...good, and the blonde really hoped the feeling lasted.

Since Rita was staying at Estelle's place for the weekend they only needed to make one stop, and before hauling in her mountain of clothes his long time friend confronted him. She told him that if anything came up all he needed to do was call, her smile so reassuring that his mood couldn't help but lighten. He watched as she walked into her house with the small brunette, the older man driving off as soon that the door closed.

"Well that was eventful. What do you want for dinner-?"

"Thank you..."

"I don't think I make that, Jailbait..."

He ignored the other male's use of his irritating nickname and decided to focus on the words that had gotten caught in his throat.

"No, really..." Flynn took a moment to throw away his pride momentarily, knowing it was the only way he could get the grateful words he wanted to say out, "I really wouldn't have been able to tell Estelle if you hadn't spoken to me...so, um...thank you."

Upon stopping at a red light Yuri looked over at him, his face twisted in a look of sheer surprise that was slightly shocking to the blonde. Well, maybe not...Flynn hadn't been all that appreciative of the things the older man did for him, so he completely understood that look. He wasn't really sure why, maybe to prove that he was actually being sincere, but he offered up a small smile to the longer haired male. Yuri's look of astonishment slowly began to melt away, being replaced with his usual smug smirk as he reached over and ruffled his hair.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Don't go doing a one-eighty on me so suddenly, Blondie."

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be back to normal fairly soon."


	8. Shot Eight: Anger

"This is...beyond tacky..."

"But that's what makes a prom fun!"

Flynn seriously doubted that. The whole gymnasium had been turned into party hell; streamers and balloons littered every wall along with an obnoxious amount of posters that read _'Congratulation Class of 20XX!_ ', the lights dim enough so that they reflected off of the disco ball that hung from the ceiling. This caused small, bright circles to bounce off every inch of the large space, the blonde's eyes having to adjust slightly to such an odd setup. All in all Flynn really found it to be horribly low budget, but then again he wasn't expecting much given that it was just a high school prom.

Could the decorating committed have done a better job? Absolutely. Should someone have been shot for allowing such an atrocity to burning itself into his memory? Without a goddamn doubt in his mind.

It just further proved that he shouldn't have been there, that he was better off spending his Friday night doing something better with his time. The blonde had spent the last week dreading the day of the prom, only because the foreboding feeling that had overtaken him seemed to become worse the closer the day became. At first he thought it was just him making up more excuses, but it became rather clear that what he was feeling ran deeper than that. Of course he brought up his uneasy feeling with Estelle, who told him that he was probably over thinking situation a bit more than he should've been.

She insisted that he not to think of the prom as a silly dance, but as a celebration of their class finally making it out of high school. Yeah that probably would've helped, and he was rather grateful for having her to talk to. He'd admit that after coming out to her things had changed slightly, but it was mostly just her new found curiosity about him that seemed to be the cause. She liked to ask him if he had ever found any guy in the school attractive, Flynn blushing a bit as she told her about all the guys he had looked at from afar because he knew he shouldn't have acted on his interests. This always seemed to sadden her though, probably because she felt that he deserved to ask out anyone he wanted to without having to feel shame.

But that was just the way the world worked...and there was no use crying over split milk when there were only a few weeks left in his high school life anyways. When they had graduated he'd do whatever the hell he wanted when it came to when it came to his social life, but as far as dating went...well, he wasn't too sure about that. He found the prospect of falling in love to be horribly boring, especially when he could skip the whole dating process and get to the meat of the situation if he visited the bar. Flynn would, however, keep his thoughts about love and sex to himself, because the last time he said anything about love being a 'waste of time' the older man didn't hold back when he slapped him across the face.

Before the blonde could do anything to retaliate the glare Yuri gave him was enough to make him back down, and his comment about how it was better to 'be in love than slowly became a sex addict' pretty much caused all words he had wanted to say to die right in his throat. What the hell was his problem? And what did he mean 'slowly become a sex addict'? Flynn was a healthy teenage boy with a healthy appetite for sex, there was nothing wrong with that, and he was well aware that he possessed enough sense to stop himself if things became out of hand.

After that the older man didn't speak to him for the rest of the day, the atmosphere in the apartment so heavy that he found that it was best if he just left for a bit. Sometimes he really didn't understand Yuri...but if the blonde kept working he wouldn't have to worry about that. Things at the bakery had picked up since he had started working there, and he had little trouble attracting female customers. He wasn't really fond of the way the girls fawning over him though, but as long as they bought something he really had no room to complain. Of course a few oddballs walked into the shop, and the only thing Flynn could do was pray they hurried up and got the hell out of there.

Of course through all the weirdos and overly enthusiastic girls he did receive one customer that did surprise him slightly, and at first he really thought said visitor belonged in the first category of people. When anyone came in Flynn always smiled and greeted them, but as he did so he couldn't help but feel that he had met the potential customer before. The other person merely stared at him, not a word said as the blonde tried his best to remain professional. It was rather unnerving, but he made sure not to say anything that would make it seem like he wanted the strange male in front of him to hurry the hell up and leave.

After a few attempts to get him to buy their new baked good the strange man pointed at him, saying that he was the 'person living with Yuri'. Flynn instantly tensed up. No one other than Judith was supposed to know about that...so how did this guy? The older man might've had a habit of telling people things that the blonde really didn't want getting around, but he didn't think he'd tell just anyone about their living arrangements. The strangers merely stared at him again, head tilting to the side which allowed his long locks to fall off of his shoulder. Long locks that almost looked white...now he remembered when he had seen the abnormal man before.

He was the very man Flynn had seen walking out of Yuri apartment, and even if he had no business doing so he inquired just who he was and what his relationship to the other male was. The man introduced himself as Duke Pantarei, Yuri's editor, and as the blonde began to really think about it everything started to make sense. Duke had visited the other male's apartment to pick up his manuscript, which explained the large envelope he was carrying that day. He wasn't sure why but Flynn felt a strange sense of relief when finding out that man was merely his editor, and the more he thought about

it that he finally figured it out.

It would've been awkward as hell if he had been Yuri's boyfriend, but after thinking about it further he had never actually heard the older man speak about a lover of any sort. In fact...he hadn't seen anyone enter that apartment other than him, or for that matter heard him speak to anyone over the phone that didn't have the name Judith or had something to do with his book. It was...strange...but the blonde didn't allow himself to dwell on it longer than needed. Getting personal with Yuri had never been in his best interest, and he was already treading on dangerous waters with his new found behavior around the longer haired male.

He had become slightly more friendly with him, his irritable side still very much there but because his tolerance for the other male's antics had gone up he felt much less inclined to snap at him. This wasn't good...at all. Becoming friends with Yuri meant his moving out might've been delayed, and the blonde knew that it was in his best interest to leave the longer haired male's apartment. If he stayed he'd only continue to act completely out of character, not to mention that he still felt he was intruding on Yuri's personal space by being there. He was just a visitor...Flynn had never thought that living with the longer haired male would be permanent solution to his problems.

Now that he had gotten himself a job and thus a way to support himself of course he'd move out, but with his friendliness towards Yuri becoming more apparent there was bound to be some kind of problem. He didn't want any sort of attachments to make him second guess his decision; in the beginning he was quite sure that if the older man asked him to stay he'd flat out refuse, but with their current situation...he wasn't sure. That was the scary part. The blonde didn't like that he was already starting to feel uncertainty when it came to a decision he had made so long ago, one he had been sure he'd go through with without any sort of hesitation. What the hell was wrong with him?

After buying a dozen petites fours the older male's editor inquired how his and the older male's relationship was going, and when the word 'boyfriend' slipped out of his mouth Flynn quickly stopped him. The mere thought of him potentially dating Yuri made him livid, but because he was in front of a customer he managed to hold himself together. As pissed off as he was he also found it to be quite humorous, the blonde knowing that it would be a cold day in Hell before something like that ever happened. He told Duke that that there was nothing going on between the two of them (leaving out the part about their casual encounters), adding that he was just staying there until he found his own place.

The clearly older man gave him a small 'I see', a look of contemplation forming on his face before he spoke again. Flynn was a bit startled when Duke asked him if the other male was 'in good heath', not exactly sure how to answer such a question at first. What...did he mean by that? People didn't normally ask that unless the other party was sick or troubled, and the blonde hadn't seen Yuri in either of those states recently. But then again he hadn't really bothered to look and see if the longer haired male was acting off...In the past he hadn't really cared to know what Yuri was thinking or feeling, but...maybe he should've invested a little more of his time into doing just that.

Since he wasn't exactly sure what Duke was talking about he merely said that the other male was fine, Yuri's editor giving him a 'that's good' before he paid and left the shop. Even as hours passed the blonde couldn't get those words out of his head, aggravated that something so minor had been on his mind for most of the afternoon. If there was indeed something wrong with Yuri that was his business, because even if he found out what it was what would he do? Flynn always believed that if he couldn't actually help the problem then it was probably best to just stay out of it, and it was this very logic that prevented him from speaking to Yuri the moment he returned to his apartment.

But even with him keeping his mouth closed it didn't stop him from observing the other male, making sure he was as discreet as possible. The blonde only noticed little things, the way he tucked his hair behind his ear before he began to type, the slight tilt of his head to the side whenever it seemed he'd come to a mental block, the sway of his hips and the soft humming he gave off whenever he cooked...Flynn noticed all of it. After a while he decided to drop his surveillance and as soon as he did the longer haired male confronted him, asking just what he had found about him that was so interesting. He merely kept his mouth shut, knowing that the last thing he wanted to do was lie.

Of course because he had fallen silent the other male used his usual tactic to get him to speak, which consisted of him getting extremely close to his face and asking him _oh so_ nicely about what was on his mind. Just because had slept with the older man didn't mean that the words 'personal space' had become foreign to him, the uncomfortable feeling that overtook him whenever Yuri became so close proving that. Like always he was easily broken, Flynn absolutely hating how the other male could do that do him. He merely asked if there was something bothering him, the older man backing up a bit before giving him a small 'hm...' as he seemed to think about his words.

When he told him that he was rather upset that they had discontinued his favorite strawberry scented shampoo the blonde damn near left the apartment, feeling rather annoyed that he had wasted so much time thinking that Yuri was troubled. But when Duke's words made popped into his head again, and he couldn't help but wonder if...the older man had just lied to him. That just didn't seem right, especially given how unnaturally open the longer haired male was about everything. Even with the uneasy feeling he had the blonde decided to bury everything he felt, hoping that what he was planting wasn't some kind of seed of destruction that would come to haunt him later on.

Things became rather hectic the week of the prom, and it was mostly due to Estelle over thinking things and Rita pretty much egging her on to do so. She wasn't doing it because she felt any ill will towards Estelle or anything like that, she was without a doubt doing it just to mess with the blonde. Flynn understood where it was coming from; he had proven her wrong by presenting her with a signed copy of the book Yuri had promised her, the brunette left completely speechless as she stared down at the signature. It probably wounded her pride, and as such she was getting back at him because of that.

The spent at least a hour in the bridal boutique looking for the right corsage that would go with her dress, the shop apparently having an unlimited supply of the damn things so Estelle had a hard time choosing. When she finally chose one Rita _conveniently_ spoke up and announced that she too needed to find a corsage, Flynn wanting to groan in annoyance so badly. It was probably one of the only times where Yuri's idiotic comments were actually wanted, anything to distract him from the sheer boredom he felt. But the longer haired male was off grocery shopping, leaving him to bear the annoyance of the evening all by himself. The next day wasn't any better, Estelle freaking out about what hair style she should've been wearing for the upcoming event.

Flynn tried to tell her that the style she usually wore would've been just fine, but he might as well have said it in a foreign language because the look she gave him clearly said that she hadn't comprehended his words. He really, _really_ didn't understand women...and he was rather happy that he wasn't going to by dating any for as long as he lived. But this didn't mean he'd never have to deal with them. He spent three hours at Estelle's house looking over magazine after magazine of hairstyles, and even Rita seemed to be greatly bored by all of this. At least the longer haired male was there, deflecting most of the attention off of him because Flynn didn't know a damn thing when it came to hair.

He took care of his own, but outside of washing it he had no clue what was 'in' or considered fashionable. It wasn't too surprising that the older man knew a thing a two about topic at hand, especially given how well he took care of his own. Yuri washed his hair three times a weeks, always using the same shampoo and conditioner, always blowing his hair dry on the low setting so he 'didn't damage it' and it always took over forty-five minutes for everything to be done. It didn't even take that long for the blonde to wash Repede...But that was probably the burden that came with having long hair, though Yuri admitted that cutting it wasn't an option.

The day after that Estelle scared the living hell out of him when she called him up randomly, frantic, damn near in tears and refusing to tell him anything until he came over. Flynn knew he was being a good friend by rushing over there to check on her, but couldn't help but feel a small pang of annoyance when he was told that she had merely ripped her dress. He would've suggested her taking it to the tailor, but somewhere through her hysterical explanation he had made out that because the tailor was backed up she wouldn't get her dress back until after prom. Well that certainly left them in quite the predicament...He only called up Yuri because he believed the older man had far more connections than he did, and he was pleasantly surprised when he was told the Judith was the person they needed to turn to.

It took a hour for the both of them to arrive, and all the while Flynn had been spending his time reassuring the smaller girl that everything would be okay. Upon arriving the female bartender went to work, telling them all that the rip was actually not as bad as it looked (which was good since he didn't even want the think of what state Estelle would be in if it was unable to be fixed). The blonde watched as Judith worked, her nimble fingers feeding the needle through the fabric in such a way that she made it seem effortless. Yuri told him that she'd always been good at sewing, and she was the main person he turned to whenever he ripped whatever article of clothing during a fight. Goddamn him for perking his curiosity...

The blonde wasn't all that surprised to find out that Yuri got himself quite a few fights with people who disliked the fact that he was so open about being gay, and the longer haired male was strangely prideful that he had never lost a single one. Of course even if we won his clothes and body obviously took a beating, which was when he turned to Judith for assistance. Flynn really couldn't help but feel slightly horrified at how lightly he spoke about the abuse he had gone through in high school, because he was sure that he wouldn't have been able to handle such stress. He was already under a tremendous amount of it by _not_ telling everyone around him about his sexuality, so he couldn't even think about what would happen if he came out to everyone.

He wasn't even sure if he'd make it to graduation...

The day of the prom things were...oddly calm, and it was because of this that his uneasy feeling once again returned. Much like Estelle had done the longer haired male told him that he was probably over thinking things, but when it came from him Flynn couldn't help but worry even more. He knew the more he ignored the feeling the more it would eat away at him, and upon embracing it he found that it was all directed towards Yuri. That wasn't surprising...however, his sudden fixation on the older man was. He was constantly staring at him, especially when it was time for them to leave and pick up Estelle and Rita. And then it dawned on him...he was observing the older man to make sure he _didn't fuck up_.

The situation was different now...Yuri wasn't just driving to his school to pick him up, oh no, this time he would be mingling the people Flynn had spent four long years with. So much couldn't gone wrong at any moment, which was why the blond was going to make sure the damage was kept to a minimum. He'd watch him like a hawk, and even if it cost him part of his pride and dignity he'd made DAMN sure Yuri didn't mention anything about their living situation or the fact that either of them were gay. Of course he was momentarily distracted by the ridiculously decorated gym, wanting to leave so badly after having laid eyes on it.

"It's like...disco hell..." He really couldn't help but agree with Rita, who still stood with her arms crossed and looking as if she wanted to be there as much as he did.

"It's not that bad! Oh, they're taking picture! Come on!" He watched as Estelle ran off, the poor brunette being dragged along with her as her 'I don't wanna!' shouts fell on deaf ears. Looking over his shoulder and at the door Flynn contemplated running, because he obviously didn't belong there and the fact that he lacked an actual date further proved that.

"No point in running now, Blondie."

"I know that..."

"Good, so at least pretend you're having a good time- o-ow."

Flynn pinched the offending hand on his shoulder, making it clear that any kind of physical contact was out of the question. Yuri just laughed a bit while saying that he'd be a 'good boy' for as long as he could, this further fueling Flynn's desire to watch him closely. It was probably a little odd of him to be following the longer haired male around so closely (to the bathroom, around the gym and everywhere else), but it was the only way he could easily track him. The place was packed, so if he let Yuri go off by himself there was a good chance he'd lose him in the crowed. That wasn't going to happen.

"Whoa, wait a minute, Blondie," He was a bit startled when the longer haired male stopped him from getting himself a cup of punch, "Don't drink that, it's spiked."

"Huh? That's just a myth...people don't go around pouring alcohol into punch bowel during prom-" Before Flynn could finish he spat out the small amount of liquid he had just sipped, an overwhelmingly strong, bitter and burning taste completely overtaking his mouth. Shit...someone really had spiked it.

"Ugh, and they used shitty vodka too..." Yuri scowled a bit as he took a sip from his cup, but the blonde was far more concerned that the other male had been right more so than the fact that cheap booze had been used.

"W-We have to do something about this."

"Why?"

What the hell did he mean 'why'? What if Estelle or Rita got a hold of that stuff? What if someone got themselves seriously injured because they were unknowingly intoxicated? Yuri just shook his head, saying that anyone would have to be a damn fool not to notice that there was something up with the punch. Okay...he'd give him that...but what about Estelle and Rita?

"They're wearing white," Flynn wasn't sure why that would matter, so he had asked for further elaboration, "No girl would risk staining their prom dress when it's that color, especially given how freaked out Estelle was about it being ripped."

Okay, so he did have another point...Tossing his cup in the nearest trashcan he still felt that something needed to be done about the punch, though when Yuri told him that he probably should've had some to 'loosen himself up' his mind instantly clicked over from concerned to annoyed. But the more he thought about it the more he began to think that maybe it wasn't that bad of an idea; he was there solely because Estelle had wanted him to be, but just because he was there unwillingly didn't mean he couldn't _actually_ have a good time. He just needed...assistance. After pick up another cup of the now obviously spiked liquid, he started at it for a good while, having not at all been pleased with its taste beforehand. But he'd have to get it down this time...even if it meant gagging.

"Don't even think about it, Blondie." Before he could even get the rim of the cup to his lips it was removed from his hands, the longer haired male staring at him was that goddamn 'know-it-all' look on his face.

"Then don't tease me like that..."

"When have you ever listened to a thing I've said? Don't start now just because booze is involved."

"Just...shut up." It was the only retort he could come up, hating how true the other male's words were. He really had no right to touch the stuff given that he was underage, and he'd probably just make a fool of himself while mildly intoxicated...but he wasn't sure how else he was supposed to loosen up.

Clinching his fists a bit he told Yuri that he needed to stop teasing him and give him an actual solution to his problem, the longer haired male placing a hand on his hip before he gave out a small 'hm'.

"Well...you could dance with me."

"Wha-?" Before he could finish the older man had grabbed his wrist and was pulling him towards the dance floor, Flynn instantly panicking. He quickly stopped the two of them from moving any further, telling him that them dancing completely violated their no touching rule for the night.

"See, that's the problem, you worry over the smallest things-"

"This isn't small goddammit! I don't want to be seen dancing with another guy!"

"...What's the worst that could happen...?"

For one he could be shunned by everything in school, leading to his last few weeks at school being his most difficult. Yes, he knew the whole true friends were the one who'd accept him for who he was, but high school life did not work like that. Even if he had friends there were outnumbered by the people who would hate him just because he was gay, and there was no telling just what kind of lows they would stoop to show just how much they disliked what kind of person he was. Flynn didn't want to be looked at like he was some kind of freak, didn't want to suffer in the last few weeks of his high school life because he finally decided to stop being such a goddamn liar.

Ripping his hand away from the older man he outright refused to be seen on the dance floor with him, and Yuri once again tried to convince him that he was merely being a stick in the mud. This was not him being a 'stick in the mud', this was him protecting what little of his normal high school life he had left. And then he remembered...he wasn't like the longer haired male; he was the kind of person who would do anything that would lower himself to the image of what was considered 'normal' by the masses, even if it meant becoming a dirty liar who hid behind a persona to keep everyone around him happy. His true self was locked away for the greater good...

"If that's the only thing that head of yours can think up, then forget I ever asked you a thing..." He knew his words had a bit more bite to them than he was probably intending, but he was no longer in any kind of mood to deal with Yuri's bullshit.

"What the hell is your problem-?"

" _My problem is that I'm not like you._ " Flynn wasn't quite sure which version of that statement he was going for, the one that made Yuri look good or bad, but his mouth remained firmly shut after he had spoken. The two of them just stared at one another, the blonde not wavering in the slightest until he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you here, Flynn."

Shit...of course the one person he didn't want to run into would be there. Slowly he turned around, facing Raven with a strained smile he hoped wasn't too noticeable. When the older teacher spoke Flynn was already going over at least ten lies to explain the longer haired male's existence and why he was there in the first place. When the inevitable 'how his your mother doing' question came up he tensed a bit, wanting Raven to just ask what the hell he really wanted to. Had she snapped at him? Had he been to the hospital lately? Had the police been called? These were all the things Raven wanted to ask, but instead he would side-step the main issue and make it about his mother.

The older teacher actually wasn't inquiring about her, he was asking if she had been beating him again.

"She's just fine..." The only thing he could do was mutter, hating when people weren't straightforward with him. Wait...when had he started hating that...?

"Well shit, didn't expect to see your old ass here."

Wait...what?

"Eh? Shouldn't you be off writing more books I have little interest in reading?"

Wait...WHAT? He could only stare at the two as the continued their (friendly?) banter, so completely lost that his head began to hurt. So...Raven knew Yuri...? But how? The longer haired male had never once mentioned anyone by the name of Raven or Damuron, and he certainly didn't recall the older teacher saying anything about anyone named Yuri Lowell. He tried catching their attention, but it seemed that he needed to stop being so damn meek because they had little interest in what he was trying to say.

"Excuse me! I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation but what the hell is going on...?" The two of them finally stopped talking and looked over at him, slightly confused as to why he was shouting.

"Huh? Oh you see- hey...what exactly are you doing here with this guy, Flynn...?"

Shit, his cover was about to be blown, and things wouldn't have ended up that way had the two of them not known one another. The blonde couldn't lie and say that Yuri was merely a college student he was tutoring, or that he was a distant cousin that had come out of the woodwork's...he had become helplessly stuck. No...he needed to think...there was always a way out, always a lie he could tell to get out of having to fess up to something. Think...think! When he quickly glanced over at the longer haired male his eyes grew, feeling so stupid that he hadn't thought of using his celebrity to his advantage.

"A-Ah, you caught me...The truth is that I'm a really big fan of Mr. Lowell's work, so I asked him to come to prom with me as a special guest since his book has been so popular around the school." Perfect...now all he needed was for the longer haired male to agree with him, the dumbfound look he had on his face not fazing him in the slightest.

"...Yeah...what he-..." Flynn stared at him for a bit longer, but when it became far more apparently that something was amiss the false smile on his face slowly began to diminish, "You know...I'm pretty damn sick of lying for you, and I especially don't feel like doing it for you now..."

The blonde wanted to say something, but he could only mimic the other male's previous expression as whatever had he wanted to utter died right there in his throat. What...the FUCK was he doing? The side of his mouth twitched, not completely sure if he was trying to fake a smile once more or if he was trying to look threatening. No...NO! Yuri was not going to fuck things up just because he happened to know Raven, and as he grabbed the longer haired male's wrist he planned to make him understand. But nothing ever went as planned when the other male was involved.

"You see, this kid here actually isn't that big of a fan, he just wanted me to come because his friends dared him to ask me."

"I..." The blonde opened to mouth to reply but it took him a moment to form the correct words, "Um...what he said..."

"It's not nice to lie Flynn, if you don't like his work, which I don't blame you for, it's okay." Flynn could only nod as he watched the older teacher laugh a bit, not completely sure if he had been a part of some kind of big joke or not.

"Anyways, me and this guy here are gonna have a little dance, oh, and tell Duke I said hi." He was back to his usual protesting self when he was dragged near the dace floor with the other male's arm around his neck, not at all forgetting that he had explained why the two of them dancing was off limits.

"I already told you-"

"Dance with me or I'm snitching to Raven about everything."

"...You wouldn't dare..."

The smirk the other male was giving him meant that it was probably best to no challenge him. With eyes wide he contemplated just giving in versus fighting the longer haired male tooth and nail, each option leading him to so much unwanted attention. Dance and been seen as a oddity or fight back and make an unnecessary scene...hell, if Yuri hadn't come at all he wouldn't be in such a situation, he wouldn't have to choose which situation would make his look less like a fool.

"...You're a goddamn bastard, you know that..."

"So you've told me multiple times." Yuri voice didn't seem to waver in the slightest as he spoke, most likely immune to his insults by now. His throat tightened when the dace floor was in view once more, and quite inconveniently a slow song was playing.

This was utter bullshit...

Biting down on his bottom lip, so hard in fact that he knew it'd probably bleed if any more pressure was added, he was forced onto the one place he knew he'd feel completely uncomfortable. When asked if he wanted to 'lead' Flynn didn't want to speak, so over the situation that it wasn't even funny. There was another reason he didn't want to be anywhere near that damn area...Flynn didn't know how to dance. Even when he visited the gay bar the only time he even considered treading onto the dance floor was when he was looking for a potential lay, and even the he never once thought of moving to the music since he, well, didn't know how to. Not only was he about to be seen pressed up against another male, but he was about to be humiliated on the grandest scale by his lack of skills.

"...I can't dance, so..." He trailed off a but, knowing that some kind of joke was going to come his was.

"Oh...that's fine, I'll lead then." His body was jerked forward after that, the older male's right hand holding his while his other hand was placed on his shoulder. The blonde really wasn't sure what to do with the other, but Yuri soon forced it on his side which is where it stayed.

"This is so-"

"Shut up, Flynn."

He instantly shut his mouth when a foot came in contact with his, a small curse escaping his lips in the process. After growling a bit he allowed his body to be moved any way the other male saw fit, hating whenever he caught something staring at him from the corner of his eye. Goddammit...what were they going say about him on Monday? It was undeniable that there wouldn't be something said about him, he just hoped it wasn't devastating. He'd hate Yuri for life if something horrible happen. The longer haired male winched whenever he stepped on his foot, Flynn muttering a small 'sorry' every time. He didn't know what the hell he was doing!

But never once did the longer haired male yell at him, tell him he was doing horribly or made any sort of effort to discourage him. He was just...moved to the rhythm and hummed as he did so. He was still greatly uncomfortable about the whole thing, but as he watched Yuri continue on he had to wonder...why was he trying so hard tonight? In the past if Flynn put his foot down about any kind of physical contact he usually backed off without so much as a second word, but this time...he seemed pretty adamant about keeping him close, at least in this instant. What was so different about this time...? Was it because he was at school and surrounded by his friends?

"You're not too bad once you get the hang of it." Flynn could only mutter a small 'whatever' as the music began to die down.

"...How exactly do you know Raven...?" His eyes weren't focused on the longer haired male in front of him but on the people behind him, the ones giving him looks as they danced with their opposite sex partners.

"Ah, I know him through my editor, they're a pretty weird pair." Pair...? The word replayed itself over and over again until he could help but ask for it's true meaning.

"They're dating of course."

... _ **DATING?**_

"Wait, so Raven is-" The hand that he been on his shoulder was quickly slapped against his mouth, further proving the conclusion he had come to. Raven was...? How could he not have noticed? Well...it wasn't like being gay was noticeable for some people, so him being in the dark about the person who had been in his life for so long wasn't all that surprising upon thinking about it.

It was just...odd to learn about.

"If you were actually truthful with people this kind of stuff wouldn't be so surprising, don't you think?" He was being smug again...but at least he had a point. There were people around him actually willing to be there for him, but he was far too proud to seek out their help.

No...it wasn't pride...it was pure cowardice...As this dawned on him he couldn't help but feel the pit of his stomach nearly drop, hating just how much the other male was making him realize about himself. Flynn believed he was better off putting himself into a deep state of denial so he could at least continue on with the way things were, about how he really felt about his father's death, wanting to be free to do as he wished and his mother. He didn't want to face the reality that he was currently living in.

When the music had stopped he quickly removed himself from the longer haired male's presence, deciding that it was about time he surrounded himself with a different crowd. Of course he had to drag the longer haired male with him, still not at all okay with him being alone. Upon finding Estelle and Rita he tried to act happy, but the more he thought about everything the more his smile began to fade.

"Flynn, is something wrong...?" Her question didn't surprise him in the slightest, but he didn't smile like he usually did when answering her.

"I'm not sure...but I'm sure I'll be okay...okay?" That time he did smile at her, and instead of it being a false one it was a genuine gesture to show her that everything _would_ be okay at some point.

They talked a bit more before Raven managed to find them again, this time inquiring if everything was all right. Flynn merely nodded, not exactly wanting to speak or look him in the eye. He kept his head down, making sure to his answers were short and to the point. He was sure people noticing his sudden behavior change, and of course Yuri just had to do something to send the whole situation in a completely different direction.

"Blondie, don't you have something to talk about with Raven?"

"Not at that moment..."

"Aw, come on, just tell him you're g-"

"SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!"

Oh no...he wasn't going to allow the longer haired male to make him come out when surrounded by so many people. He tolerated the dancing because he had managed to convince himself that it would've been interrupted in a different way than just two guys being close, but someone saying that he was gay could only be taken at face value. He became close to the other male's face, telling him even if he was trying to be playful there was a line he shouldn't have crossed, said line having to do with his sexuality.

This apparently didn't reach the older man, made apparent when he brought him closer and kisses him full on the lips. His body froze completely, eyes wide and mind going into overdrive. This could not be happening...he must've knocked himself out on the dance floor and was currently having a dangerously vivid dream. Yeah...that sounded about right, because there was no way in hell he was currently be kissed by Yuri Lowell of all people. But everything began to shatter when he finally focused on the world around him; people were staring, Estelle and Rite were shocked, Raven had conflicting emotions on his face and blonde could only stare in horror.

"Come on Flynn, you really-"

He didn't hear anything the longer haired male said after that, probably because he had punched him square in the face. He seemed to go down hard, but the blonde could've cared less about the prospect of Yuri cracking his skull on the hardwood flooring. Flynn was worried about _Flynn_ for once, and as the buzzing noise in his head began to die down he could hear his self panting hard, hands shaking tremendously.

Run...

"Flynn...w-what's going on-?"

 _Run_...

"Flynn-?"

 _ **RUN**_...

So he did. He ignored everything around him, panting harder as he sprinted for and out of the double doors that took him directly outside. He stumbled a bit but quickly regained his balance, breath still coming out in ragged pants as his legs continued to carry him away from his school. That place was no longer safe...Yuri having defiled it with his stupid antics and unpredictable behavior. He hated him...but more so hated the fact that he had allowed that bastard to even set foot anywhere near the building that night. Everything was so messed up, his head spinning in such a way that the buzzing noise made itself known once more. Run...the only thing he could do was run.

But in the brief moment of lucidness that had suddenly struck him he reminded himself that he needed somewhere to actually go, and now that the place he had been hiding out in for months was off limits (he did NOT want to see Yuri's face) he needed somewhere to go. After said moment passed the insane idea that his own home was the only place he could go to made itself known, but he didn't at all dismiss it. If it meant there was a locked door between him and the older man, dealing with his mother didn't seem all that terrible. So it was decided. His feet knew the way, so he merely allowed them to carry him all the way there.

When finally stopping he had to slump against the door, legs burning in such a way that he almost felt like collapsing and crying out. But there was as chance that his mother was actually asleep, and waking her up was the last thing he needed at the moment. If she was indeed knocked out, be it from her pills or the exhaustion of trashing the house again, it meant he could at least get himself a few winks of sleep before he decided just what he wanted to do from there on out. He could no longer stay at Yuri's place...He slowly made his way into the house, checking the kitchen before he decided to crash in his (most likely) disheveled room.

His mother was there, head pressed against her folded arms with her gold lock sprawling themselves along her back and the smooth wooden surface of the table she was asleep at. Flynn stared at her before going to his room, the urge to tend to her dying the moment that nights events replayed themselves in his head. He needed...to lie down. His bed...yes, he needed to get to his bed. Before he knew it he was walking into his bedroom, ignoring the absolute devastation of the entire space. Sweeping a hand over his torn sheets he removed anything that would hinder the peaceful sleep he so desperately needed, finding soon after that he had cut his hand on something in the process.

It wasn't deep, but he still didn't feel the need to do something about it...he just stared...He didn't feel anything, and what was far more concerned was the fact that he didn't care that he did. Sleep...he was thinking too much...sleep was the only thing that should've been on his mind. Plopping down in his bed he did just that, wanting nothing more than silence to engulf him. And it did. He believed he didn't particularly dream about anything, which was a good thing because he was sure he'd only replay that nights events. Why did that bastard have to-? No...he wasn't going to think about that anymore...

How many hours had passed...? Upon waking up with a groan he only knew it had been 'some time', and as he ran his fingers through his hair he wanted to know where the hell that annoying noise was coming from. It had forced him awake, but in the blonde's groggy state he couldn't quite identify just where it was coming from. It was like...a tapping noise, but it wasn't constant. Sitting up he looked over at the window just in time to see something hit it, Flynn staring a bit before opening it. As he did so another something him square in the forehead, the blonde having to hold the spot as he muttered a small 'ow'.

Looking down he could see that it was...a rock?

"Ah, sorry."

Fuck...Looking out of the window he saw none other than the person who had caused him so much goddamn grief. As soon as he witnessed the longer haired male open his mouth he shut the window, ignoring the muffled voice he heard from the outside of his house. No...he wasn't in the mood to deal with him at the moment, because the urge to go and outright strangle him was only thing Flynn wanted to do upon seeing his face. The tapping continued, but now that he knew where it was coming from and who was causing it he could easily ignore it.

"FLYNN, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! I DON'T THINK YOU WANT ME SHOUTING YOUR PERSONAL BUSINESS LIKE THIS SO YOU BETTER COME BACK!"

That on the other hand...Yanking the window back open he glared at the older man before, as always Yuri looking as if he had done nothing wrong.

"...Get away from my house before I call the cops..."

"Would you just listen-?"

"No! I don't have to listen to a goddamn thing you have to say, not after you fucked up my life!"

"What are you talking about?"

Sometimes it was beyond frustrating speaking with Yuri. Racking his fingers though his hair once more he tried to calm himself, because he didn't want to yell and alert anyone of their conversation.

"You seriously think that kissing me in front of everyone won't have any consequences for me? You're insane if you think so!" He kept his voice down, but made sure to get across just how infuriated he was.

"What? No one saw-"

"You're goddamn idiot if you think no one saw!" He was so close to slamming the window close once more, knowing full well that Yuri would probably never fully understand where he was coming from.

"Okay, fine...I'm sure a few people saw...but is it really so bad?"

He did not just say that...

The blonde quickly told him that not everyone was like him, that not everyone wanted to tell the world about their sexuality because they actually feared the repercussions. Annoyance seemed to cross the other male face, but he didn't care, he still continued on with his tirade. It was amazing how much how much he had been keeping in, telling the longer haired male about how his lack of understanding and irritating behavior kept pissing him off to the point where moving out was the only option he could conceive. Yes...he had told Yuri he would be moving out at some point, and he didn't feel a single ounce of guilt as he said it.

"...Are you done talking, Flynn...?"

"Fuck you-!"

"No, fuck you, Flynn! Oh boo-ho, you're life sucks, well guess what? You're not the only one in the world with a shit life! And don't you _**dare**_ say I have no idea about the hell that comes with being gay!" He was beyond mad, the blonde could tell that much, and he couldn't help but be a little taken aback by it.

"That still doesn't change that fact that you outed me in front of everyone!" Yes, that fact would still remain the same, but as he stared at the still infuriated Yuri he felt as if he had just said something rather stupid.

"Oh please, Flynn, you'll just lie your way out of it like you always do, so don't even start with that."

He hated how right the longer haired male was...because come Monday he would be lying to save his life...and everyone would believe him. He was in the heat of the moment so he hadn't really thought anything through, and upon actually thinking about it he really could've just said that either one of them were just drunk and it just happened by accident.

"Well, I...I-I..." Nothing...he couldn't think of a thing to say to the other male.

"You know what? Whatever...just do what you want, move out, get mad at me, bitch and moan, I don't care, I'm going home." And with that Yuri took his leave, the blonde sprinting out of his room for some unknown reason as he did so. Maybe it was because it just didn't feel right to leave everything on such a sour note, even if who he was dealing with was Yuri.

"W-Wait." Flynn had managed to catch up just as the older man had started his car, the blonde having to go up and knock on the window to get his attention.

"...What do you want...?"

"Just...I-I'm sorry, I said some really nasty and stupid things, I wasn't thinking..."

"...And?"

"Please just...take me back...to your place."

The older man stared at him long and hard, but his look softened after a while, his body slumping in his chair as he gave off a long sigh. Flynn didn't move until he heard the 'click' of the lock, quickly going over to the passenger seat door before slipping in. Before moving Yuri told him to call Estelle at some point, emphasizing that she was rather 'upset' with his actions. That's right...he had said that he wouldn't run away from her anymore, and what had he done? Run. He was such an idiot...so he would apologize to her properly at the next day.

Too much had happened in one night, and the only thing Flynn wanted to do was get back to the place he knew he'd be comfortable in. Yeah...even if Yuri rubbed him the wrong way sometimes, his apartment was a place he could be at ease because he felt...safe. The air wasn't tense when silence fell upon during their car ride, greatly enjoying it after having such an fucked up shouting match the two of them had gone through. The blonde really knew how to make a fool of himself...and maybe if he really didn't get so worked up over everything he wouldn't have to turn himself into one. He should've, as the older man had said earlier in the night, 'loosen up'.

"...Why did you kiss me...?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

They had just stopped at a red light, so he felt that it was all right for him to ask about something that had been bugging him.

"Ah well...I guess I just wanted to shut you up. You were pretty loud beforehand."

Short and to the point, pretty much what he had expected out of the longer haired male at that point. He didn't question it because he knew that was just the way Yuri was, and he was rather content with that. After arriving the blonde took his usual spot on the couch, Repede watching him silently from his sprawled out position on the floor. He didn't feel like having another staring contest so he merely made himself comfortable, which was rather challenging since he was still wearing his tuxedo. He'd change later.

"Want me to sing you a lullaby, Blondie?"

"I'm not in the mood for jokes." He listened as the longer haired male laughed, and from the direction his voice had come from he could tell that he was moving to his room. The sound of shuffling caught his attention, and from that he knew that Yuri was changing out of his 'formal' attire.

For some reason seeing the other male looking like an actual adult was just odd, even if he was only wearing a pair if slacks a black dress shirt. His hair had been tied back in a ponytail, which he didn't usually wear unless he decided to work non-stop so it was a little strange to see him sport one outside of the apartment. Sitting up a bit he watched as Yuri removed his pants, leaving him only in his boxers as he went retrieve his night clothes. He was doing it again...Flynn was watching the other male far too intently for his liking, but at the same time he couldn't look away.

Even after all of the times they had had sex, the blonde hadn't really noticed Yuri's body before. He was far more concerned with getting off than how he looked, but now that he was actually looking he noticed quite a bit about the longer haired male. He just watched, not completely sure what he felt as his eyes traveled down his neck and stopped at his lower back. Ah...maybe he was just tired...but first he had to look away in order for him to sleep. When Yuri was finally done dressing he felt that he could finally pry his eyes away from the now clothed older man, quickly deciding that maybe he should've gone at least one round with the large dog.

But as he began staring at Repede he couldn't help but notice how hot his cheeks felt. Maybe he was coming down with something...


	9. Shot Nine: Attraction

Flynn wasn't the type to just sit around and do nothing, but at the moment 'nothing' seemed like a better option since it meant no movement. It was hot...so hot in fact that every step he took he cursed the name of the person who had sent him out in such weather. Sure he could've refused, but he was just going out to buy a bag of apples so he didn't think it would be that big of deal. Not to mention that he hadn't really done much, in comparison to Yuri who was busy typing away on his machine to get his next book finished. He didn't really have room to complain.

Other than being completely beaten down by the heat, the blonde found that his mood had been rather...nice lately. After the shouting match he and the older man had gotten into his head finally cooled off, allowing him to actually think about things and just how he was going to deal with them. Yes, Yuri had given him a lot to deal with, but at least the damage wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. A few people came up to him and asked just what the whole scene was about, the blonde telling them that he was merely the victim of a drunken acquaintance's antics, adding that the punch to the face was his attempt to 'sober' him up.

By the end of the day he hand manage to convince damn near everyone that the event had been nothing more than a mistake, and all the while he began to uncover just how intolerant quite a few of his so called 'friends' were. The word 'queer' was thrown around a lot, but there were certain few who used 'fag' with such malice that it was rather intimidating to the blonde. But at least he knew...and he'd admit that it was a rather painful reveal. He had spent four years with those people, and yet he had just learned how much they disliked the idea of a male kissing another male. Upon thinking about it maybe he really didn't know his 'friends' as well as he thought he had, especially give that he had practically lied to them about the real him.

To them he was just that blonde who had never dated anyone, who always did his best in his studies and was generally a nice guy. Even if that was true it was merely a part of who he was...and now that he knew just what his 'friends' were actually like he'd keep them in the dark about the real him. It was sad...but he could deal with it a few more weeks. And he did. When graduation was finally upon the school Flynn could hardly contain himself, wanting so badly to hurry up and get everything done and over with so he never had to set foot inside that building again. Of course there were steps to be taken; they had to practice for the ceremony, and even if the blonde understood the importance of getting everything down perfectly he felt that spending days on it was overkill.

It took a special person to mess up standing, walking across a stage then sitting again, but such a person must've existed in the past...it was the only way his mind could fathom why they had been spending _days_ on something so simple. But at least during those long practices he found a little extra time to think about a few things, like if he should remind his mother that he was graduating. He wasn't even sure if she was aware of it anymore, especially given just how far gone she had been acting. It was probably a mistake for him to even consider her coming, but she was still his mother...and it felt wrong of him to prevent her from seeing him walk across that stage.

The only thing he could do was try and be direct, and like always he made sure Yuri came with him so he could have a escape plan. Okay, maybe not 'always' since it was a fairly recent tactic, but he still made sure he came along. Upon thinking about it he had to wonder just when he had accepted the longer haired male coming into his home and taking part in his drama, but at least he had someone to confide in even if he wasn't sure why it had to be Yuri of all people. Instead of beating around the bush he asked her without much hesitation if she knew about his graduation, the older woman just staring at him as a response. That wasn't a good sign.

She started rambling on about things completely unrelated to what the younger blonde was talking about, it becoming so bad that he had to grab her just so he could get her attention again. Sometimes his mother could say the cruelest things...When she told him that there was no way 'Flynn' could've been graduating since it meant he'd be leaving her alone his heart sank, the younger blonde unable to so much as defend himself when she started assaulting him. The other male got him out of there but it still didn't stop him from feeling guilty, so guilty in fact that he swore he heard himself apologizing as Yuri was dragging him out of the house. His chest ached as he thought about permanently leaving her, knowing full well that it was for the best but he was also aware that something could've happened to her.

Maybe putting her into a home was the only thing he could've done...At least then she's get the proper care she needed...even if it meant she'd probably hate him even more. No, she...she didn't hate him. He wanted to believe that she was merely under a tremendous amount of mental stress, and thus her thinking must've been warped whenever she lapsed out and became another person. The older woman just didn't know what she was doing...but this didn't stop him from thinking that he was so very wrong. After that encounter he pretty much made up his mind that his mother wouldn't be coming, and he tried to make himself believe that things would only work against him if she actually came. There was no telling how long she'd stay sane for, and the last thing he wanted was for her to make a scene.

He tired ignoring the issue but it was always there, reminding him just how bad of a son he had been to her. Yuri must've noticed that there was something wrong with him, because two days before the ceremony he asked if him attending would make anything better. He was struck with a sudden loss of words, wondering why he felt so hesitant about answering. It should've been an undeniable 'no' from him, but yet...something was wrong. It wasn't like him to waver when it came to denying the longer haired male further access into his life and it certainly wasn't like him to have more pros than cons when it came to his decision making.

It wasn't the first time he had thought about it, allowing the older male to partake in his life that is, but every time it occurred he had to wonder just what made him have such a drastic change of heart. Maybe it was because Yuri was acting less like an asshole? Or maybe it was because he was actually attempting to be kind to the longer haired male. He didn't need him to come, and his presence at his graduation would obviously spark gossip about just why the older male always seemed to be around. But...to hell with that. He wasn't going to see half of those people ever again, and the other half would probably pay him no mind since they should've been busy with their lives. So where was the harm?

When he told Yuri to do whatever he seemed rather annoyed with his words, making the blonde wonder if he had said something wrong. After his outburst the night of the prom Flynn couldn't help but notice that the older man had become a little more...moody. Those irritated looks were always directed at him, usually when he flat out denied him something or whenever he used the response 'do what you want' when he didn't feel like giving a proper answer. He wasn't really sure what could've happened to make him act in such a way, especially given how nonchalant the longer haired male acted whenever he told him off in the past. Had he actually done something wrong, or did Yuri usually become so temperamental during the summer?

It was another case of him not really knowing the older man, and he felt that maybe that should've changed. Not because he felt it necessary because of their budding...whatever the hell their relationship had turned into, but because at least then he could anticipate such changes in his disposition. But then again whenever he thought about actually getting to know Yuri he remembered that he was supposed to be moving out, thus ending whatever quasi friendly relationship had been forming. Sure that could've kept in contact, but...Yuri had his own life to deal with and Flynn would probably be too busy with college to really have time. That left a bad taste in his mouth for some reason, but that was just how life was...hell he wasn't even sure if he'd even have time to see Estelle.

All of his thinking had lead to graduation being a rather somber event for him, and even if he was happy in the back of his mind he knew he didn't want it all to end just yet. The real world was barreling straight at him and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. This didn't prevent him from messing up everything he had gone over days before, but he did falter once...and it was more out of shock than anything else. Because everything was by last name in alphabetical order Flynn had to wait a bit for his name to be called so he could get his diploma, and all the while he waited and watched as the people he knew went before him.

Estelle was damn near in tears when she received hers, and he swore she started crying as soon as she left the stage. When Rita went up she didn't seem to care all that much, but when she thought no one was looking she seemed to smile to herself. After quite a few more people it was finally his turn, and as he reached for the piece of paper that finally freed him from high school he heard something. Someone had...whistled? It had clearly come from somewhere out in the crowd, and instead of ignoring it like he was probably supposed to he gazed out into the sea of people. Everyone's faces were somewhat hard to see given how dim the lights were, but when he noticed a hand furiously waving he instantly took notice.

Unfortunately he knew that long haired anywhere...

He wanted to scowl but then everyone would seen him, so he kept his face as straight as he could. But then the waving stopped and the older male began pointing to the seat next to him, the blonde instantly freezing as he laid eyes on someone he actually believed wouldn't be coming. It was his mother. She gave a small wave to him, and before he could do the same a small cough caught his attention. Right, he was on stage and was supposed be accepting his diploma. After taking it he left the stage as quickly as he could, an announcement being made that there should not have been any crowd disruptions until after everyone had received their diplomas. Once they had gotten to that point everyone applauded, though Flynn was far more concerned with finding his mother.

They were finally allowed to leave after three extremely long, boring and somewhat unnecessary speeches, Flynn not having to walk far for Yuri to find him. He allowed the older man to sling his arm over his shoulder, giving him a 'congratulations' before dragging him off in some random direction. Upon stopping he was brought face to face with his mother, who looked much like Estelle had upon existing the stage. She hugged him tightly, telling him how proud she was as her tears fell against the crown of his head. For once Flynn didn't feel uneasy around her, allowing herself to relax in her grip and accept the mother-son affection that had been missing for far too long.

He had wanted her to act like his mother, not some crazed woman who abused him because she blamed him for something that happened so long ago. Whatever ill will that might've been caused by her psychosis was put on the back-burner, the two of them finally bonding the way they were supposed to. Of course Yuri slinked over to him when the older woman was off talking to Raven, asking if he had 'done well' with getting his mother to come. He wanted give the longer haired male anything other than praise, but...the only thing he could do was give off a small smile and applaud Yuri for a job well done. Sometimes the longer haired male was unbearable, sometimes he was somewhat tolerable but sometimes...he did things that really made Flynn wonder.

He was happy that his mother was there without a doubt...but what did he feel towards the person who had brought her? There was thankfulness, sure, but there was something else thing, something that he really couldn't put his finger on. It was annoying how the feeling seemed to nag him recently, especially when the older male got too close. He initially didn't want the longer haired male near him because producing extra heat when it was so ungodly hot outside was not in his best interest, but as time went on it became clear that there was something more under the surface of it all. Because he didn't understand just what was going on with him the blonde became defensive, growling out that the longer haired male needed to 'back up'.

He was met with a rather confused look every time, one that quickly dissolved into one of irritation before the other male backed off. He hadn't meant for it to come out that way, but it had and there was no taking it back each time. Flynn would set his pride aside and say that he actually felt bad for barking at the longer haired male, partially because he didn't think he deserved it. If he ever figured out just what he was feeling then he'd have to give Yuri some kind of apology.

"Okay, the next time you're hauling your ass out there to do your errands." Placing the bag of apples next to the older man's chair he plopped down on the couch, relaxing as the cool air of the apartment hit his heated skin.

"Sorry, it was flowing and I didn't want to stop." Flynn knew...but that didn't stop him from complaining. Sometimes Yuri had moments when he'd just type away like a maniac, not stopping in fear that he would lose his stride.

He always got so annoyed whenever he had to stop, but the blonde knew that it wasn't healthy to continuously work in such a way so he always cut in at the right moment. It was always when Repede came over and placed his head on his master's lap, meaning that he was concerned about the way he was working and felt that something needed to be done. The large dog really did care about Yuri's well-being, and maybe Flynn should've followed suit. The older man was still human after all, and he should've cared to a certain extent given that Yuri had not only housed him but fed and accepted him. _Something_ should've been felt on his part, and maybe that's why he had allowed himself to become closer to him.

"Why did you want apples of all things?"

"I think I'm catching a cold."

"...Don't you need oranges for that...?"

"They both work."

And their useless banter started, something the blonde noticed become less and less hostile on his part as time went on. He seemed to not take a lot of the other male's jabs to heart anymore, instead throwing a sarcastic or teasing remark his way. It all seemed so...playful. After awhile he noticed Repede inching his way closer to the longer haired male, Flynn making sure the next thing he said dealt with his master taking a break from his long typing session. He leaned back in his chair, arms falling behind it as he titled his head back and allowed his long locks to flow downward over the back of the time beaten piece of furniture.

"Ugh, I can't stay cooped up in here all day, I need entertainment..." He groaned a bit as he spoke, Flynn knowing full well that if Yuri truly wanted said 'entertainment' he knew where to look. So when he felt a weight pressed against the top of his head from behind, the older man's hands coming to rest on his shoulders, he knew what was coming next.

"I wanna go to the beach," That was a bit different from what the blonde was expecting, "Entertain me Flynn, take me to the beach."

"Why the beach of all places? And how would I get you there? I can't drive..." It was true, even though the blonde was a young adult he had never once thought about getting his own license. The bus was just far more convenient.

"But I'm bored...ugh, give me some idea of what I should do!" Flynn was a little taken aback when the longer haired male wrapped his arms around his neck, head still on top of his as he rocked the two of them back and forth, whining.

He wanted to complain, but their closeness made him nip at his bottom lip instead. What the hell was going on with him...? He'd usually just give him some kind of remark before Yuri rambled on about him loosening up a bit, but...the only thing that seemed to form was a large lump in his throat. He could hear the longer haired male yapping on about going to the beach or just leaving the house in general, but he was far more concerned with the ringing he heard in his ears. It was different from the sound he had heard during prom, the noise far more annoying then the previous one.

"It's not nice to ignore people, Jailbait." Damn, he hadn't meant to and now he'd probably be teased for allowing his mind to wonder.

"Sorry, I'm just...tired for the heat." He rubbed his temples in as an attempt to get himself focused, hoping the longer haired male ignored the fact that he had just lied-

"It's also not nice to lie."

Shit...couldn't he just let that go just once? Before Yuri could even act he barked at him, telling him to 'shut up' and 'back the hell off' as his voice dropped to a threatening tone. Dammit...he was doing it again. His head was shoved forward a bit when the other male removed himself from his personal space, saying that his shitty attitude was starting to get on his nerves. He watched as the longer haired male picked up his plastic bag of apples, taking them into the kitchen where he would most likely peel and cut a few of them up. Cursing at himself as he slumped down the couch, Flynn really wished he could've solved his problem so he could stop frustrating the older man.

"...Sorry..." It was the only thing he could say, and as he watched Yuri's furious scrubbing of his fruit under the running sink water subside momentarily he knew he must've heard.

"Whatever..." It was loud enough for him to hear it, but he was sure the other male had intended for his words to be muttered. Okay...so it seemed he needed to say something else to make Yuri at least _look_ at him. He had wanted to go out, so...he might as well catered to that want.

"Um...you wanna...go to the aquarium...?" It was a stupid suggest, mostly because he really didn't want to tread into that place...It would most likely bring back memories of a time when he was actually happy, when he didn't need to lie in order to keep everyone around him happy while he suffered in silence.

Flynn didn't _want_ to remember...but maybe he should've...

"...I guess we can go..." He didn't sound all the enthusiastic, but then again he had just been yelled at...Now that he thought about it Yuri really seemed like a child sulking after being unfairly scolded, and for some reason the image of him pouting was slightly amusing.

"What's so funny...?"

"A-Ah, it's nothing." He quickly quieted his light laughter, knowing that it probably seemed strange for him to do so randomly. The blonde watched as Yuri began cutting the apples, knowing full well that if he had attempted such an act his fingers would've been made to suffer.

It was amazing just how fast he managed to peel them, slice them into bite size pieces before he bathing them in...some kind of liquid. He was rather surprised to find out that it was lemon juice, which according to Yuri kept the apples from browning as fast and thus helped them last longer. It was a truly interesting fact, but he was drawn to the longer haired male's hand when he suddenly jerked away from the counter. Flynn didn't need to ask what had happened since he knew that expression all too well from years of having cut himself, so he merely removed himself from the couch and made his way into the bathroom. Opening up the medicine cabinet he pulled out a bottle of alcohol and a box of bandages, making sure he closed it back before he left.

Without saying much he made his way into the kitchen, taking the other male's bleeding finger into his own hand as he give off a small sigh.

"I didn't take you for someone who gets clumsy around the kitchen."

"Everyone gets clumsy in the kitchen, Blondie." He hissed a bit when the alcohol was added to his finger, the extra being caught by the dishrag that he had been using previously to apply pressure to his wound.

"I can see that now." And the bandage was on, Flynn returning the rest of the adhesive strips and bottle to their rightful place in the bathroom cabinet.

"I'm not some flawless being you know, I make mistakes too." He had to stop what he was doing in the bathroom to really think about what Yuri had just shouted at him from the other side of the apartment. That statement just sounded odd coming from the other male, especially given that he had never once regarded him as such.

In fact he saw him as a normal (though irritating) human being who had taken care of him, perhaps better than- no...he wasn't even going to go there.

"Yeah, you're clearly not flawless...so hurry up, I'll pay for everything."

"I was expecting you to."

"I'm not spending my entire paycheck on you." There was something very unsettling about the way the longer haired male was smirking at him, as if to say 'we'll see'. He tried not to think too much about it, but he was sure Yuri would find a way for completely bleed him dry.

It didn't take the other male long to finish his task, washing his hands in the sink once done before going into his room to change. Damn...he was doing it again...What the hell was so fascinating about watching him undress? He had seen other males removing their clothes plenty of times during gym and in the bedroom, so what made Yuri so different? Was it because he was older? Though their bodies should've have looked all that different given that the blonde had already hit puberty...so then what was the deal? Where did this curiosity stem from? Prying his eyes away from Yuri's figure he decided that maybe staring at the door would be better for him. At least then he wouldn't be caught staring...

The left the house five minutes later, the older man telling Repede to 'behave himself' as they walked out of the door. For some reason Flynn felt oddly uncomfortable when the two of them were in the car, eyes darting over to the person sitting next to him every so often. He noticed things he really wish he hadn't, like the beads of sweat that fell from Yuri's brow all the way down to his neck, stopping for a few seconds before moving lower and disappearing into his black T-shirt. God _dammit_ that was a horrible color to wear when it was so goddamn hot outside...Maybe if he focused on his poor fashion sense when it came to weather then he'd stop the uncomfortable feeling he was having.

"Why the aquarium?"

"Huh?" His attention was finally drawn back to the longer haired male's face.

"Why the aquarium of all places?" Since he was focused on the road the other male probably missed the look he made, which Flynn was rather grateful for. The place they were headed was filled with memories, pleasant ones, and maybe he didn't just want to go there to reminisce.

"I just...haven't been there in a while..." He muttered a bit, knowing that there was a good chance their conversation was going to head in a direction he'd rather it not take.

"I see..." Flynn couldn't help but notice that his words seemed short, as if there was more to it but the longer haired male seemed to censor himself.

"...Me and my parents went there once-"

"Look Blondie, you don't have to tell me a damn thing if you don't want to." That was true, but he felt he should've said something. He shut his mouth after that, knowing that it probably wasn't the most appropriate time for such talk.

It was about a forty-five minute drive from Yuri's place to the aquarium, it taking so long only because he was using the navigation system on his phone which was off as hell. After getting out of the car and paying for their (far too expensive) tickets they were inside, the air not all that cool but definitely a welcome change from the outside heat. It was probably because it wasn't cool enough that there weren't that many people around, not that Flynn minded since that meant less heat in the air due to too many hot bodies around. He noticed that the longer haired male was staring at the exhibit map rather intently, the youngest of the two cocking his head before asking what was probably an obvious question.

"Have you ever been here before?"

"Nope, never."

That was rather surprising, since he believed that everyone should've at least gone once during their childhood, be it for a school trip or family outing. It just didn't seem right, but maybe he was over thinking things while making generalized assumptions. Because he was slightly distracted with his own thoughts he hardly noticed that they had began to move, Yuri holding him by the wrist as he told him about their first stop. The seahorses. There were quite a few of them, though he'd admit that it took him a moment to see them since they blended so well with the foliage.

"Leafy Sea Dragons from the southern cost of Australia," Yuri read out loud the plastic sign with the basic information of the animal, "Usually around eight to ten inches in length they feed on plankton and small crustaceans. The males- holy shit, the males carry about two hundred and fifty eggs given to them by the females, which they give birth to after nine weeks. Okay, that's kinda gross."

Even with his pleas of how disgusting the small animal's reproduction cycle worked, he could tell that Yuri was extremely interested in watching them bob up and down from their stationary position against the coral. The expression on his face was like that of a small child who had found out something amazing. They saw a few more seahorses before moving on to the next exhibit, one that Flynn found a little out of place given where they were. Polar bears. Now he was fully aware that they counted a 'aquatic' animals, but he just wasn't expecting to see anything fuzzy at the aquarium of all places. The longer haired male read the plastic plaque once more, though this time Flynn was more interested in the creature in the tank more so than information about it.

He knew they were big, but to actually seem them in person paled in comparison to anything his mind came up with. There were two of them, just swimming around in the water, occasionally looking their way but never actually coming over. Upon thinking about it the blonde realized that the two of them looked as if they were flying, flawlessly at that, and it because of this that Flynn found himself strangely fixated on them. He gave off a small yet very surprised 'ah' when they started circling each other, as if knowing they had a audience and suddenly decided to put on a performance.

"They're showing off." His attention was drawn back to the person standing next to him, who looked slightly amused as he watched the bears touch noses. He merely nodded, not completely sure if he saw him or not.

When the bears finally went their separate ways Flynn was dragged once more, going from exhibit to exhibit before he had to halt the other male's movement. Yuri looked back at him with a questioning look on his face, and the blonde had to bite his bottom lip slightly as to means to keep himself under control. Not that tank...anything but that tank. It was the very one he and his parents had taken a picture at, when he was sitting on his father's shoulders because he was too small to see the fish near the top. And his mother was _smiling_ , actually _smiling_ , and the image of the three of them together was almost enough to make him break down right there.

"Are you...okay...?" The concern in the other male's voice was enough to give him a little more control over himself, though it was slightly harder to hide his slight shaking hands.

"Y-Yeah...I'm fine." It wasn't a complete lie, so he hoped the other male let him off the hook just this once. He wasn't going to run from this, because if he did he'd never come back and deal with it.

Yuri gave him a weary look, but merely gave him a small 'if you say so' before he pulled him over to the large tank. It was just like he had remembered it; the entire space was cover in bright coral, tropical fish of all colors and sizes swimming in what looked like perfect harmony. But something had changed...Flynn no longer needed assistance in seeing the fish near the top. He had grown so much, matured into a healthy young man who was heading off to college...and it wasn't fair that his father wasn't around to see any of it. His heard his breath hitch a bit, but he made sure to keep himself calm so he didn't make a scene. From the corner of his eye he could see the older man staring at him, but neither of them said a word.

After a few minutes he felt his wrist being taken again, Yuri leading him away as the two of them remained in silence. He hadn't meant for things to turn out like this, even if he had the inkling feeling that it would've, because he didn't like the awkward feelings hanging in the air between the two of them. He wanted to explain but his lips merely quivered, never parting. When he felt the two of them stop it took him a moment to look up, trying his best to hold onto whatever little thread of rationality was keeping him together. His eyes were met with a large sea turtle swimming by, and much like he had been with the polar bears he was captivated by how majestic looking it appeared when gliding though the water.

And then he saw it...one of the turtles came up to him, pressing it's beak against the glass in a manner that clearly said that it wanted his attention. Slowly he placed his hand against the cool surface that separated the two of them, far more focused on the noticeable scars on its back more so then the turtle itself.

_Papa, the turtle looks hurt, is it going to be okay?_

_Of course it is Flynn, if it's made it this far it has a strong will._

_Strong will?_

_It means it hasn't giving up on living just yet, it wants to continue being around for as long as it can._

_So...if we leave for a long time and come back, it'll be here?_

_Of course, and I'm sure it'll remember you too._

_Really? Papa, that's so cool! Um...do I have a 'strong will' too?_

_Of course you do, Flynn._

No he didn't, not when he was currently crouching on the floor, holding his head in attempt to make the memories _**stop**_. This was a mistake, a horrible one at that, and he was paying the price for bringing up things that were better left buried forever.

"W-Whoa, Flynn, come on, snap out of it." The blonde could tell that the older male was on the floor next to him, the hand shaking his shoulder further confirming it.

"T-This is...so fucked up...it's...it's not fair," He could hear himself saying something, but he wasn't sure why such words were flowing so freely out of his mouth, "I-I shouldn't be the one here, this isn't fair."

"Flynn, you're really starting to freak me the hell out-"

"I-I'm not strong, so why am I here...? I-I should've died back then, not him, he was the strong one." He could feel the wetness rolling down his cheeks, but he didn't acknowledge it, only continuing on with his...he wasn't even sure what to call it.

"I-I should've stayed awake, but I was so tired from practice. I-If I had been awake, _god if I had been awake_ , I wouldn't have to be here. Why d-did they hit the car from his side? T-They should've hit my side-"

He was cut off when a sharp pain rippled throughout his cheek, the sheer force of it causing him to fall backwards on his rear end. He watched was Yuri reached over and roughly grabbed his collar, bringing him close before he began yelling.

"Don't you dare...don't you _**fucking dare**_ start regretting the fact that you're alive! That woman's words aren't true, you have to believe that, you deserve to live as much as anyone else! She's not right!" The hands on his shoulder were tight, so much so that he couldn't help be wince, "You dying will NOT bring anyone back...You've made it this far, you're _alive_ Flynn, so don't you dare think for one second that your life isn't worth shit...!"

His head hung low, large droplets falling to the floor with out restraint, forming small pools wherever they landed. He had heard everything the older man had said loud and clear, and for some reason he wasn't sure what to think about it. For starters there was a lot to take in, but the core of everything said was still the same...Yuri believed that his life was far more valuable than he himself believed it to be. It was laughable really, how little the blonde thought of himself, and he felt like an idiot for allowing his mother's words to grasp hold of him so tightly that he couldn't help but agree with her. He _knew_ that she wasn't right, that she was merely venting on him because he had been involved, because he had been there.

But that didn't change the fact that the words were still _there_ , burrowed deep within his subconscious where they would fester and slowly become his 'truth'. She had tainted him with her hate...a hate that he was now slowly realizing was replacing all the love she had for him. There was something so very wrong with that...and there was something so very wrong with _her_. He cared for his mother...just not the thing that was currently destroying anything that remotely resembled her. His life had to be worth something...it just had to be, or else everything he had done with it (surviving, coming out, graduating, etc) had been for absolutely nothing.

"...I'm sorry, Yuri..." He finally looked up, eyes meeting with the other males, "I know my mother's thinking can be really fucked up sometimes, and I know she isn't right...but...sometimes it really does make me wonder, you know?"

"Flynn..." He was pulled forward, the longer haired male's arms coming around his neck as he held him tightly. His body tensed at first, worrying about the wandering eyes that were going to fall on him, but...he tried his best to ignore it.

He didn't care about what other people thought about him in the moment; he had already made a scene so there was no point in hiding it, the blonde embracing the other male because he... _needed_ comfort. What he had been doing previously wasn't reminiscing...In his moment of weakness he had allow his mother's poison to ruin the precious memories he had shared with his father, turning them into something sick, something that made him feel shame. His father's words were not supposed to misconstrued in such a way...and as such he would be strong, for his own sake and the memory sake of the deceased man he held dear.

That was his resolve...

After removing himself from the other male he couldn't but notice how he...smelled. He ignored it at first, opting to the other male's suggest to take a small breather before they continued on. The two of them just sat on the floor, Flynn a little concerned about how slightly unkempt the linoleum was. The two of them stayed there for about ten minutes before one of the staffers shooed them away, saying that they couldn't just sit in front of the exhibit. But it was fine, that had been plenty of time to compose himself. They were back at it, moving from tank to tank as Yuri read every plastic plaque they came in contact with. All the while he didn't pay his words any mind, instead focusing on his lips and the way the moved. They were moist, probably from him just having licked them-

Fuck...he _needed_ to stop, but he couldn't. They spent three hours at the aquarium, and during most of the time Flynn he been glancing over at Yuri for far too long, moving in close to him to catch a whiff of that smell (he deduced that it was apples, lemon juice, deodorant and shampoo) and wondering why oh why he wanted to just flat out jump him while he completely disregarded public decency laws. He was so happy when the older male was done in the gift shop because it meant they could leave, the blonde needing to deal with his sudden intense arousal for the older man.

Wait...why was he _just_ craving Yuri? He could've easily taken a quick trip to the bar to satisfy his urge to fuck, but yet...it was all directed at the other male. It confused him slightly, and as the two of them settled back in Yuri's car he did himself a little thinking. His odd behavior had been going on for a bit longer than the blonde was willing to deal with it, so the only thing he could do was break down everything and connect the dots. It all started when had had watched Yuri change clothes, staring at every curve, every flick of his hair, every swish of his hips- he was getting off track...And then there was the hunger he felt, the very one that popped out of nowhere whenever he gazed upon the longer haired male's barely clothed body as he emerged from the bathroom after a long shower. Fuck he looked good...

"Well that was fun. Well, not you freaking out...and I really did mean everything I said."

"Yeah, thanks for...that..."

...Oh shit...

"I hope you, you know, feel better."

... _Oh shit_...

"And you really should...um...Flynn?"

_**...OH SHIT...** _

"Something...on my face, Blondie?"

"H-Huh? S-Sorry, I was just thinking." He tried to play it off as nothing, and he was given an odd look from the other male followed by a weary 'uh-huh' as he started the car. Who could blame him? As he slide down in his seat the sudden realization he had just made hit him once more, so hard in fact that he couldn't help but let out a small groan as his face was dyed a deep shade of red.

Every time they had sex it only served two purposes for Flynn: to get him off because he was too lazy to venture out to the bar or to make him forget about something painful. It was a quick trip of pleasure that wasn't really filled with anything...but now...he _wanted_ to have sex with that stupidly smug bastard. He _wanted_ to spend the night in and do nothing but sleep with the older man, making him beg and _die_ right underneath him and vise-versa. And sweet fucking fuck...this was not him just finding the other male hot...

He was sexually attracted to Yuri...

"You sure you're going to be okay, Blondie?"

"God I hope so..."


	10. Shot Ten: Curiosity

"So...you still wanna sleep with other people, but you wanna sleep with Yuri the most...?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"And you don't see any deeper meaning in that...?"

"Not really."

He didn't feel that there was anything wrong with his words, so he was a little confused when Judith gave him an odd look followed by a head shake. Flynn found his logic to be rather sound, especially after he had come to terms with just what he was feeling. While returning from the aquarium he spent his entire stay in Yuri's car brooding over the revelation that had hit him like a sack of goddamn potatoes, but the blonde was somewhat relieved that he at least had a name to put to the odd feeling he'd been dealing with recently. He had never felt such a deep desire to sleep with anyone before, so to actually experience such an emotion was overpowering and slightly frightening. When he acted on it the things he felt were insane, like he was releasing some kind of primal hunger that had been buried inside of him for far too long.

The two of them barely made it into the longer haired male's apartment before he flat out jumped him, Flynn roughly pressing him against the door before latching onto his mouth. Yuri let out a surprised sound, and who could really blame him? The blonde's actions were sudden, giving no warning to the other male so he could prepare. Though it wasn't like he was being pushed away. He was damn near in the other male's pants before the door was finally opened, Yuri kicking it closed with his foot before the two of them made their way over to the couch, lips never parting. He mounted the longer haired male like he was some kind of dog in heat, though that was probably the best way to describe his situation.

Once done he felt oddly...satisfied, not at all empty feeling he usually got whenever the two of them finished. Yuri inquired just what the hell had gotten into him, the blonde admitting that he had been overcome with the sudden urge to just flat out do him. And it wasn't the last time. Of course he didn't do it when the other male was working; Flynn always waited for a sign that meant he was about to go on break before doing anything. He also waited to see if the longer haired male was willing, which also took a good eye on his part. It was always little things, from the way he stretched, rubbed his temples, wrinkled his eyes and yawned, they were all things the blonde took notice of.

When the right factors along with his observations came together, then he'd pounce, usually indicating which position he wanted to be in before things became physical. He wasn't trying to just get himself off like he use to, he took his time, touching, licking, biting and memorizing what made Yuri groan and made himself pant for more. He hadn't bothered with it in the past, seeing it as useless since he was only interested in himself. But when he actually slowed down, taking his time with things, he noticed so much. Even if he felt like some kind of pervert, he really did love finding out new ways to make the older male say his name, which he usually only used when he spoke to him seriously.

There was just something electrifying about hearing it when Yuri wasn't 'lecturing' to him about something. When not having sex he was preparing for college or down at the bakery, because he knew full well that he wasn't supposed to just stay inside and fuck all day. Business was going well, though he did get a rather unwanted guest one day that damped his mood slightly. Hell, he wasn't even sure why Raven had decided to come into such a place given how much he disliked sweets, though when he thought about it he was probably there more so on Duke's behalf. Upon walking in he seemed shocked, but from the way he looked Flynn was sure that their meeting wasn't completely coincidental.

His suspicion was fueled further when he was asked if the two of them could talk during his break, the blonde praying that it had nothing to do with his mother. Luckily it didn't...instead it was a far more embarrassing topic. The two of them talked in the backroom while he ate his lunch (made by Yuri for once), and while ingesting his tea he nearly choked on it. Who the hell interjects with _'are you sleeping with Yuri?'_ when actually having a decent conversation? All he could do was stare at the much older man after regaining his composer, so many questions racing through his head as he did so. After learning that the man he had known for most of his life was gay he thought that maybe he had someone else to speak to, so other than the silence he fidgeted slightly under Raven's gaze. Was it really okay to speak to him...?

If anything Raven was probably the closet thing he had to a father figure, so he should've felt comfortable telling him things that were unrelated to his mother. He might actually kill the other male with the stories he had of all the people he had slept with, so he decided that he'd at least keep that much to himself. When Flynn finally opened up Raven's eyes widened when he told him about the fact that he was gay and the fact that he was sleeping with someone seven years older than him. The much older man seemed to withhold what he wanted to say until the blonde had finished, and his words caused him to blush rather deeply. He hadn't expected 'do you use protection?' to come out of his mouth, and Flynn finally figured out why he had so many reservations about talking to Raven.

It was fucking uncomfortable...

He really hadn't prepared himself to go over the details of what he and Yuri did in bed, but there wasn't any point in avoiding the question...Quite frankly he used a condom with the longer haired male rather sporadically, it really depending on his and the other male's state of mind since in the heat of the moment things could easily be forgotten. Raven merely nodded, saying that he was at least happy that he had developed good sexual habits, but he was slightly concerned that he had been dealing with Yuri at all. Before the blonde could say anything to such an odd comment the much older man told him that he was at least relieved that the 'idiot' had someone living with him, which would mark the second time something mentioned something about Yuri living alone.

What the hell was the deal? It annoyed him slightly that he couldn't understand why they were speaking to him like that, since from his observations the longer haired male seemed to be fairly normal. But even he knew that there were things you couldn't learn about someone from just watching them...The two of them continued talking until the blonde's break was over, Raven taking his leave but not before telling him that if anything happened it was okay for the two of them to talk. Yeah...he really should've kept that in mind. He needed a male figure to willingly vent to, maybe not about his mother but just about life.

But his words, just like Judith's, began replaying themselves like a damn broken record, so very bothered that he just couldn't drop it. Yuri's business was his, so he shouldn't have wanted to pry so much...but then again it _was_ Yuri. The longer haired male was still an unknown factor in his life, and maybe if he understood him more he'd stop seeing him as such. So he decided to actually talk to him, but not about the things Raven and Judith brought up. Instead he asked about the person in high school he looked up to, another topic the female bartender had brought up that just bugged the living hell out if him. Yuri stared at him for a good while, the shocked expression slowly changing into one of melancholy.

Surprisingly enough it _was_ a teacher, and according to the longer haired male the only one who didn't treat him like an 'outsider'. Apparently Yuri was a bit of a 'problem child' back then, and it wasn't all that unexpected to hear him say such. He had a hard time listening to any kind of authority figure, which landed him the label of 'delinquent' by every adult in the building...except one. His English teacher seemed to notice that there was some kind of hope in him, so he made the longer haired male stay after school and write for him whenever possible. Poems, short stories, a single line, the man didn't care, he just wanted Yuri to put down his feelings. It was because of the man that Yuri began to like it so much, and it was also because of his kind actions that he began to fall for his teacher.

It wasn't puppy love he said, because he had apparently felt that before, oh no, it was full blown _love_. Other than the fact that he was his teacher, it didn't help at all that he was married with two kids...Yuri respected the man far too much to allow his own selfish needs destroy the relationship the two of them had, so he buried his feelings for four long years. And then he slipped up. It was graduation, he was emotional and decided to hell with hiding how he felt. He at least made sure there was no one else around before he pulled the other man forward to kiss him, making sure he didn't go anywhere until _he_ was finished. As soon as he parted Yuri got the hell out of there, sprinting out of the room and not stopping until he reached his house.

Flynn was fascinated, not entirely by the story itself but by the way the other male spoke and looked. He seemed so...different, and he had to wonder if he was looking at the definition of the phrase 'love struck'. It was...curious...mainly because he had never seen Yuri in such a state. It was startling at first, but the more he witnessed the look the more he became envious. The blonde had never been in love before...so he was damn sure he couldn't relate to the older man. Why did that piss him off to much? He figured that it wasn't worth investigating, so he merely shoved it away to the darkest corner of his mind. And then something occurred to him...Yuri's writing career might've just been a way to please his old teacher.

That was irritating; he saw the longer haired male as someone who did everything for himself, because he didn't care about people telling him what to or how to do things. He was a strong, independent person...so to learn that his actions were probably fueled by the desire to please someone else was...distressing. Of course when he confronted Yuri with his accusation he was met with laughter, followed by a hard slap to the face. He was told that he was doing things because _he_ wanted to, and even if his teacher started him on the path he wasn't continuing on just for his sake. Flynn took his word for it, because his cheek stung too much for him not to.

When Yuri was passionate about something it seemed the blonde always suffered some kind of injury to his face whenever he spoke out about it, which meant he probably should've kept his mouth shut.

"Blondie, there's a lot wrong with that, but I'll let you figure that out."

"Hey, don't start getting cryptic on me." She merely stuck her tongue out at him before continuing her furious mixing of drinks, Flynn wondering why she never just outright told him things.

"So what brings you out here if you 'wanna sleep with Yuri the most?'" He really couldn't help but wrinkle his nose as that comment, having forgotten the reason for visiting the bar in the first place.

"...He has a date."

"What? Really? With who-?"

"He calls it a date, but it's really just a meeting with one of the higher ups..." This didn't help him feel any better about being kicked out of the apartment. It was irritating...

"Oh...Well...what if he really was going on a date?" She was doing it again...allowing the words she spoke to have a deeper meaning than what she was presenting them as. The problem was that he didn't understand why she was doing it...like she was trying to get him to understand something was he apparently was missing something.

"What about it? I don't care if he goes on one or not." He really didn't, but from the look on Judith's face she clearly thought otherwise.

"Ugh, I give up, you're beyond help, Blondie." The one who needed to groan was him, no her! He watched as she walked away, taking the order of another patron as he sipped on his Shirley Temple. Some times the female bartender really gave him a headache...

Three drinks, confusing conversations and a bit of flirting later he finally got a call from Yuri saying he could come back, Flynn removing himself from his seat at the bar as he told Judith to put everything on the other male's tab. On the walk back he noticed just how warm things were even after the sun had set, knowing that they would only get worse as time went on. The quicker he walk the soon he'd get into the longer haired male's air conditioned apartment, though of course he was distracted by a few people on the street. Apparently quite a few guys had a thing for young looking blondes, so he often received looks and cat calls from passerby's. He really didn't mind, though when they stared to come from a much older age group he couldn't help but become freaked out.

Once back inside Yuri's apartment he found the man in question sprawled out on his couch, arm across his face and looking completely wore out. What had gone on while he was away...? Walking over he knew he didn't need to announce that he was there since he was sure Yuri heard the door, so he merely leaned against the back of the couch until something was said.

"...You smell like cheap cigarettes."

"I was sitting next to Rick."

"Fuck, how the hell did you walk back here?"

The conversation didn't last too long, Flynn mentioning that he was merely sitting next to the other male and hadn't been fucked by him.

"So...how was your 'date'?"

"Shitty, like I expected it to be." This seemed to make the other male finally remove his arm from his face, sitting up as he signed. Flynn moved a bit so he could slump his arms over the back of the couch, though before he could move far enough the other male hooked his fingers in his belt.

"Did you have any fun while you were out?"

"There's not much fun to be had when you're kicked out of an apartment." Yuri smirked at this, asking if he wanted an apology for having to brave the warm outside air. Well...since he brought it up...

The kiss they gave was rather awkward, but then again what wasn't expecting much since Yuri's head was leaning over the edge of the couch. But at least he had experienced his first upside down kiss. Luckily Yuri managed to turn himself around, the two of them never parting as they made their way over to the longer haired male's bed. Sure they could've done it on the couch, but after a while the cushions really started to mess with his back. The bed was much more comfortable, and as his back fell on it he allowed himself a small sigh. Whatever he had been doing prior to his arrival had warmed his hands, Flynn giving a surprised jerk before arching up against the fingers against his chest. Yuri's lips were still on his, sucking on his tongue before allowing his teeth to gently sink into his bottom lip.

He let out a small groan, his own hands running themselves along the other male's neck as he pulled him closer. The other male's knee was pressed against his crotch, teasing him by only giving him light rubs instead of outright grinding into it rough and hard. Yuri had always been good at that, making him want attention but never really giving it to him at first. He loved foreplay, loved prolonging the experience so that in the end he'd have to beg. Flynn really didn't mind this, especially since it made for a rather intense orgasm on his part. He wasn't really sure why, but when the older man got him riled up it just felt so good in the end. The blonde let out a throaty moan when Yuri moved away from the lips, but soon attached himself to his Adam's apple.

The hands on his chest finally began to move, thumbs grazing over his nipples before dipping down to work on his belt. He took his sweet time, but made sure he distracted him with sloppy nips and kisses on his neck. For once he didn't mind if he left a mark, because he had found out about the wonders of concealer. Yuri used the stuff when he had a meeting in the morning but had remnants of the previous night's escapades on a noticeable part of his body. Of course because of the slightly different shade of skin he possessed the blonde had to go out and buy his own, Yuri kind enough to at least show him how to apply it. The stuff felt odd against his skin, but it at least didn't come off when he became too sweaty nor did it rub off on his clothes.

Using his own hands he began to remove the longer haired male's tank, briefly wondering why it was slightly damp in the front. Sure it could've been sweat, but given the fact that he had been inside of his air conditioned apartment all day that just didn't seem right. Then there was the fact that the wetness only seemed to be located in small patches...Could it be that Yuri had been-?

"What's the holdup?"

"A-Ah, sorry." He was definitely over thinking things, because there was no way the scenario that had played out in his head was actually possible. He slipped the other male's shirt over his head, tossing it to the side of the bed before resting his hands on the longer haired male's back.

His fingers clenched and unclenched the more Yuri worked his mouth more the rest of his neck, wanting him to just hurry up and relieve the bulge in his pants. But there wasn't going to be any relief any time soon for his poor dick, because that's the way the other male worked. He'd probably be on the verge of exploding before he even bothered to take off his pants. Flynn just needed to be patient, though his lower half constantly reminded him just how badly it wanted attention with it's constant bucking. Of course this led to Yuri pinning his hips down, his knee coming to shove itself harder against his crotch as he held them in place.

He let out a strangled moan as the sudden sensation, the blonde able to feel the other's smirk against his collarbone. Cocky bastard. And then his own shirt was gone, his head not given enough time register how fast it had happened before he felt lips against bare skin once again. They were lower this time, his tongue darting out to lick his sensitive nub before engulfing the whole thing with his mouth. He wanted to buck at the sensation but couldn't, so he instead moaned, pulling the other male closer as he did so. As much as he liked just lying there while taking everything Yuri had to offer, some times he wanted to be an active participant. But there was nothing for him to do because the longer haired male always made sure _he_ did all the work.

"Fuck Yuri, give him some leeway." He managed to pant out, though of course the hard nip to his nipple was enough of an answer for him.

"Come on Blondie, you know me better than that. Just lie there and enjoy the ride."

"But-" He couldn't even finish his sentence before it dissolved into a pitiful sounding moan. Sometimes he really wanted Yuri to just listen.

And then relief seemed to be in sight. His lower half was unpinned, a hand coming down to cup the uncomfortable bulge in his pants. That really wasn't enough, it never was, but thankfully the hand slipped under his now belt-less pants where it came to rest on his boxers. It didn't move. Squirming a bit he cursed at the older male's sudden lack of motivation to move, hoping that if he bucked his hips enough it'd be enough friction to get him off.

"Calm down, I'll get to it when I get to it."

"Well then _hurry up_." He growled a bit, the action only making Yuri smirk up at him. He couldn't deny that the predatory look in the other male's eyes caused a spark up his spine, a small groan escaping him.

He had to turn away, telling the longer haired male that he needed to stop playing around. This didn't seem to deter Yuri from his foreplay, the other male merely lowering his head as he nipped and sucked his way down his torso. Flynn squirmed a bit more, trying to get this soft lips to at least graze the spots that made him his head spin. But no, whenever he reached one of those said spot he'd merely give him a light lick before moving on, a rather annoyed noise emitting from the blonde's throat as a result.

"Down boy, I'm about to give you a reward." Flynn watched as the other male finally pulled his pants down, leaving his boxers sadly in place. He palmed his bulge, tongue darting out to gently caress his tip.

The blonde really had no room to complain since the older man had at least gotten between his legs, but dammit if there wasn't an unbearable itch between his legs because of the friction of cloth on skin. He hissed a little when Yuri's hand sped up, but his uncomfortable feeling didn't stop his hips from bucking into his touch. He worked wonders with what little of the head of his cock he could get into his mouth, Flynn slowly starting to register that his dick would probably not be free until the longer haired male was ready to fuck him. That was...a rather disheartening realization. But at least he was getting fucked...His body shook the moment he felt teeth against the thin fabric that kept his member confined, the other male's pearly whites nipping in a slightly rough manor.

Had his dick actually been out Yuri probably never would've attempted such a action...but with the extra coverage he seemed to think differently. The blonde's fingers squeezed themselves a bit harder around the older man's shoulders, wanting so badly to just run them through his long locks but knew that because the older man hadn't washed his hair yet he was forbidden from doing so. He just had this thing about his hair being touched when it was 'crunchy' (Yuri's words, not his), and he would much rather keep his hands then lose them trying to indulge them. So he squirmed a bit more, wanting him to remove the damn fabric so he could _really_ feel what was happening to him. But the longer haired male just kept sucking the best he could and moving his hand, and just when he was about to forcibly pull the other off because he was so close he stopped.

In the few seconds he took to catch his breath and recompose himself Yuri hovered over him, the same locks he couldn't touch tickling his face in a rather delicate manner. When he was kissed he knew what to do without being asked to, the blonde opening his legs a little wider when he felt a hand slip under his damp boxers. It wasn't heading for cock. His body instinctively tensed up when he felt the finger press against his entrance, but soon relaxed since he knew it'd only be harder on himself if he didn't. The first one was always the easiest, his body tensing only a bit as he moaned a bit at the sensation. The second one always received mixed reviews; it really depended on how said finger was inserted, and this time around it was rough and hard.

His body winced as a response, Flynn trying his best to make it relax so he could really enjoy what the other male was really doing to him. Instead he focused on the lips that had attached themselves to him, the way they tasted and the way they demanded his attention much like their owner. This seemed to work because the next thing he knew he was thrusting against the other male's slender fingers, making him hit his sweet spot again and again. When the hand was gone, lips no longer against his own, he tried to wait patiently for what was to come. His eyes were closed as he tried to catch his breath once more, so he only heard the sound of the dresser next to the bed opening followed by the telltale rip of a wrapper.

It all happened within mere seconds; his boxers were gone, right leg lifted and placed on the older man's shoulder as his member stroked his entrance a few times before pressing in. His entire body tensed up, not as badly as it did when he first started having sex but still enough to seemingly give Yuri some kind of trouble.

"Come on, you should know the drill by now." His voice sounded a bit strained, but instead of commenting on it he merely gave the longer haired male a strangled 'fuck you' as his fingers gripped the blanket blow him. It was probably because of his mouth that the longer haired male suddenly pulled out, slamming back in at just the right angle to hit his prostate dead-on.

Instead of tensing up more he went limp, body too overwhelmed by the amount of pleasure he had just received in such a short amount of time. The blonde twitched a few times, head spinning enough to the point where he momentarily forgot where he was and what he was doing. When his head finally began to refocus on what was happening to him the blonde found himself moaning shamelessly, lost in sea of pleasure that was Yuri's dick ramming his tight hole. It was a bit surprising just how fast and hard he was going since they had just started, but then again he could never really predict just what the other male would do to him when he was turned on.

His back arched up a bit more when the other male hovered over him again, hands released the blanket and arms coming up to grasp the longer haired male's back. His vision was blurred, eyes focused on nothing in particular as he listened to the sound of his voice echoing throughout the apartment. He'd been told that he was loud during sex and usually tried to control himself, but when he was with Yuri he could've cared less. The things he said, no matter how vulgar or shameless, flew free because he knew the older man didn't care and usually returned whatever he said with more sexual charged words. For some odd reason that was an incredible turn on. When Yuri came in close, whispering those dirty, filthy things in his ear, his body shook as his toes began to curl.

Oh how far he had fallen...He would've found the idea of him sleeping with anyone, let alone the person who had taken him in because of personal troubles at home, completely insane if someone had told him he'd be doing so a year ago. But now he could only laugh at how fucked up and unpredictable the world could be. The blonde cried out louder as the older man slammed into his sweet spot even harder, Yuri's free hand coming between the two of them to grasp his neglected member and pump in time with his thrusts. He gasped at the sudden contact, slightly torn with what exactly he wanted to happen. Flynn wanted this to continue, for the longer haired male to pound into him with everything he had, but on the other side of the spectrum he wanted to come and experience an incredible orgasm.

Obviously he knew the latter option was going to happen no matter how hard he prayed for the first, and he really couldn't complain all that much since either way he'd still be lost in the endless bliss that had engulfed him. He knew that Yuri was probably going to get annoyed with the scratches he'd be leaving on his back, but dammit he couldn't help it. The blonde just wanted him close, their bodies grinding together to create such an amazing friction that Flynn swore they'd catch on fire. When the older man's movements became erratic he knew it was only a matter of time before things ended. So he enjoyed what was left of the ride, moaning as tongues connected followed shortly by lips. His abdominal muscles contacted and _fuck_...his entire body shook, white, hot pleasure coursing though his veins as he came hard.

He wasn't really sure what was more embarrassing, the fact that he seemed to come harder after the longer haired male had said his name in his ear multiple times before coming himself, or the fact that he seemingly passed out because the sheer amount of pleasure he was feeling. Whichever it was he couldn't help but feel mortified. When he came to the other male was getting dressed, Flynn sitting up on his arms to see if the remnants of their romp were still present on his stomach.

"I got it." He looked over to see the longer haired male slipping his shirt over his head, looking over his shoulder once the piece of fabric was in place.

"Ah...thanks..." Flynn was a little relieved when he didn't mention anything about him passing out, and when he thought back on it he couldn't help but groan. Rolling over on his stomach because he wanted to take the pressure off of his backside, he tried to think of a way to explain himself.

When he heard the words 'it's nothing to be ashamed of' he did a double-take, because he couldn't believe what he had just heard. He had every right to feel ashamed! Who the hell gets knocked unconscious during sex? Okay, so he didn't completely have control over it, but still!

"Oh, like you have personal experience?" He spat his words out unintentionally, but dammit if Yuri pissed him off while he was dealing with such humiliation...

"Sure do. Passed out during my first time." That was...slightly unexpected...but he still kept up his tough front, wanting to hear his explanation before actually saying anything.

"...Was it with your English teacher...?"

"I wish. It was just some guy I met, though I'm not exactly sure if I passed out because of the pain or because it was actually good." He merely sighed as he plopped down on the bed, Flynn wondering briefly if he was actually making such a story up. But then he remembered that it was Yuri...

"...If you don't mind me asking..."

"What is it?"

"I've never really seen you bring anyone up here...be it for an actual date or just a quick fuck. Hell, I've never even seen you so much as invite Judith over or even just a friend." He knew he was probably prying a bit more than he should've been, but...they were already sharing so...

"Ah...that's because I don't have any other friends besides Judith," He looked over his shoulder once more, the blonde slightly startled by the look of coldness he was giving him, "I don't bother dating or bringing anyone up here since it's bothersome."

Flynn wasn't really sure what he should've said to that, mainly because of the hard look the other male was giving him. It was screaming at him to basically 'shut the fuck up', and that's pretty much what the blonde did. It was like he hit a nerve, and a big one at that, and as he lie on his stomach Flynn really began to wonder more about the person he had apparently pissed off. Yuri was still a ball of mystery to him, and the more he seemed to learn about him the more the mystery grew...and he had a rather big decision to make. Did he continue down the rabbit hole and see what else he discovered? Or did he stop and be satisfied with the little information he had learned about him?

So far he could tell that there was something rather...off about him, but was the blonde's curiosity deep enough for him to pursue something that might've lead him to a dark place? The more he thought about it the more he began to back away, but then the small fact that he was dealing with _Yuri_ made him reconsider things. He stay in bed for an hour, taking a small nap because his body was completely warn out. Upon waking up the room was filled with a familiar tapping noise, the blonde gather his clothes from the floor and winced a bit as he sniffed them.

Damn Repede to hell...Tossing his shirt to the side he decided to just get another one, knowing that he usually stored said clothing in the second drawer of the longer haired male's dresser. Opening it up he rummaged through it, knowing that because he had recently washed clothes there had to be at least one clean shirt inside. Or not...As he looked around he found that none of his shirts were inside, even though he knew he had placed them there. Yuri must've moved them. Giving out a rather aggravated sigh he trying thinking of the most annoying drawer the older man could've placed them.

The bottom one...because it meant he had to bend down...that bastard.

His body ached as he crouched down, nose wrinkling as he saw his shirts tucked under the other male's while he pulled the drawer open. He cursed a bit, knowing that Yuri was probably seeking some kind of secret pleasure from his suffering. What he hadn't expected was his hand touching something plastic, freezing briefly as he contemplated seeing what it was. The longer haired male didn't seem to have any reservations about him going through his things since he usually didn't, but...damn his curiosity at that moment. Wrapping his fingers around whatever it was he noted how thin it was, retracting his hand to find that he had take a hold of some kind of wristband.

He was more than a little surprised that he recognized just where it was from, since he himself had stayed in the hospital to know the kind of band the doctors put on their patients. What disturbed him greatly were the words 'mental ward' printed in bold, black letters along with the older man's information. Flynn stared at it for a few moments before sliding the wooden drawer closed, picking up a clean shirt before closing it. Well...now he needed to figure out what to do with such information. He could play dumb, act like he had never picked up the wrist band and continue on with the way things are. But...the impact and implications were to great for him to do such a thing, so he could only-

"Now what's this...?"

He froze. The wristband was plucked out of his hands, and he dare not look back at the owner of said hand. Flynn heard the longer haired male admit that he was rather surprised he was still hanging onto such a thing, but the youngest of the two was far more concerned with the sound of his heart beating in his ears. He swallowed hard, finally turning around to see the other male crouching down behind him. His eyes were on the band, which he was rather grateful for, but they soon rose to meet his. Like always he couldn't read the older man all that well, but he noticed that there was something different about the way he gazed over at him.

And then he smirked...that kind of smirked that told him that he was in big trouble.

" _Flynn_..."

When the front of his shirt was grabbed he knew things were not going to end well for him...


	11. Shot Eleven: Pain

Flynn had every right to fear for his life, because at the moment he was actually in quite a bit of danger. He had seen his mother became so erratic only once, and that time he had spent three days in the hospital with a broken arm, multiple bruises and a cut on his forehead. But this time...this time she was seriously going to kill him. He'd admit that it wasn't the first time that month he felt in danger, the first being when he found the longer haired male's mental ward wristband in the bottom drawer. He knew goddamn well that he should've just put the damn thing back and forget about the whole thing, but he was genuinely shocked for having found it. Who wouldn't be? Of course to balance things out he had to be caught, because that's how fucked the world was for him.

At first he couldn't read the look, but when Yuri smirked he knew bodily harm was coming his way. He flinched when the front of his shirt was grabbed and quickly shut his eyes when the other male raised his hand. He braced for what he knew was going to come, because the look in Yuri's eye told him it was. After a few seconds of waiting nothing came, the blonde opening one of his eyes a bit for see exactly what was going on. The longer haired male looked torn, face twisted in emotions ranging from anger to pity. Even when he placed his hand down the blonde didn't relax, Yuri racking his fingers through his hair as he groaned loudly.

He began to tell him that an explanation for the piece of plastic wasn't necessary, the older man glaring at him as he told him that the time to play dumb had come and gone. Flynn was still tense under the other's gaze, and he had every right to be; the longer haired male was staring at him hard, hard enough to the point where he had to tear his eyes away from his. The story itself wasn't terribly long, though the way he left it completely filled with questions was probably just what he wanted. Apparently the older man had tried to commit suicide three years ago, and after being taken to the hospital was placed under suicide watch for a week...which meant he needed to be admitted to the mental ward of the building.

That certainly solved one mystery, but just opened up another slew of questions in his mind. _Why_ had Yuri tried to kill himself? _What_ had been so horrible that it had driven him to have such thoughts? _Was_ that the reason for both Judith and Raven's comments about him living alone? There were so many questions but Flynn kept his mouth firmly shut. From the way Yuri was averting his eyes he knew he was feeling some kind of hurt or disappointment with himself, and it was enough to make him not say a word.

Of course because of his silence the longer haired male seemed to become upset with him, demanding that he say something about what he had just told him. The blonde honestly couldn't, because he knew the moment he opened his mouth the wrong thing would come out. What did you say to someone who had tried to commit suicide? He didn't feel people who did so were weak or anything like that, he just...knew that there was something going on in their environment that had caused them to resort to such drastic measures.

He didn't want to question Yuri, didn't want to make it seem as if he only wanted answers and thus coming off as insensitive...so he stayed silent. This lead to the other male not speaking to him for four days, and if he had Flynn would've caught that something was very wrong with him. He truly hated himself for not catching on sooner...He walked into Yuri's apartment after a long day at the bakery and found him not at his computer, and this wouldn't have bothered him so much if he hadn't spotted his cell phone near the still on computer.

The longer haired male always turned off his work when he went out and _always_ took his cell phone with him...Repede seemed frantic, whining and nipping as his clothes as if trying to pull him somewhere. When telling him to stop didn't work Flynn just gave in, allow the dog to pull him over to the longer haired male's bedroom. And then his stomach began to knot up. There on the floor, lying next to the open balcony door, was Yuri. He was afraid to go over at first, not completely sure if he should just call the police and have them deal with it. When he made a small noise Flynn quickly rush over, kneeling down to prop him up slightly as he frantically asked what had happened.

The only response he received from the other male was 'hot', and he probably shouldn't have expected too much since he was barely conscious. Upon placing his hand on his forehead he found what the problem was: Yuri was running a fever. Before he began to panic he knew he needed to see how bad it was first, so he help the older man into his bed before sprinting into the bathroom. The cabinet was always stocked full of medical needs so he easily located the thermometer along with bottle after bottle of cold medicine.

Sprinting back out he placed the electronic device in the other male's mouth, praying that the outcome wasn't bad enough that he had to take him to the hospital. Thankfully someone was looking out for him. It was definitely a fever, but not one that needed immediate medical attention. He opened the one of the bottles of terrible medicine and forced the longer haired male to take it, which consisted of him pinching his nose close so he would swallow it. He also placed to cold compress on his forehead to help bring his fever down, the blonde hoping it broke some time in the night. If it didn't he'd definitely needed to take him in.

Around one in the morning was when Yuri finally regain full consciousness, the longer haired male admitted that he was completely embarrassed for what had happened. He had been working so hard that he had neglected his own heath, and even if Flynn understood how much his writing meant to him he couldn't allow him to become sick from working too much. So he made sure Yuri stayed in bed as much as he could, and he made sure to confiscate his laptop so he couldn't work at all. Sure he was treating the older man like a child, but it was the only thing he could do since he was sure the longer haired male would've just made himself worse if he hadn't. Of course Yuri was pissed off with him, but he seemed to be less irritated as time went on.

It was probably because he understood that the blonde had his best interest in mind, though it wasn't like he made it any easier on him. Flynn knew that the older man was being needy just for the sake of being needy, which meant he had been turned into a butler for a week. He tried to keep his cool because he knew the other male was sick, but goddammit...he was seriously ready to punch the shit out of him. When it came to food the blonde had to go with canned soup, because he dare not destroy Yuri's kitchen for the sake of making him a decent meal. At first it had to be tomato since everything else that had solid pieces in it wouldn't stay down, the blonde thankfully putting the trashcan near the other male's bed beforehand.

It took a few days but he was finally ready to graduate to chicken noodle soup, which seemed to please him greatly since it looked as if he was rather sick of tomatoes. Since he could keep more down Flynn added things like crackers, rice and toast to his diet, though when he complained about the lack of sweet things to eat the blonde told him that he better get well soon if he wanted ice cream. Somewhere down the line Yuri had asked him why he was doing so much, commenting that he was sure that the blonde didn't see them as friends or anyone worth treating so kindly. For once he actually got to hit the longer haired male for saying something stupid. It really had nothing to do with how he felt towards Yuri, he was doing it because it was the right thing to do.

He really must've been out of it if he couldn't figure that much out.

It was an entire week before the other male had recovered, Flynn finally being able to relinquish his role as caretaker. Things were back to normal from there, though he did make sure Yuri took longer breaks before resuming his work. The first thing the older man wanted to do was get out of the house, which was understandable since he had been pretty much bedridden for seven whole days. What he hadn't expected was for Yuri to suggest they go to the beach, hell-bent on bugging him until he agreed. Why? Because it was just another placed the longer haired male hadn't been before...and he really couldn't help but gawk at the other male.

He felt that that beach was one of those places people went at least once when younger, and it really made him wonder about what kind of childhood Yuri had gone through. Something didn't seem right about it, but that seemed like another one of those topics he shouldn't have brought up. For some odd reason he didn't feel quite comfortable going to the beach with the older man alone, so he ended up inviting Estelle and Rita. It was a bit unnerving seeing his long time friend in a bikini, mostly because he knew that other guys were staring (which was a little odd since she wasn't the most...'stacked' girl there). Of course before he could do or say anything the smaller brunette was already dealing with the problem, telling the men with the prying eyes to scram and if things became physical she could easily take care of herself.

Rita was, after all, a second degree black belt.

It was a bit sad to see grown men limp away after getting beaten by a girl half their size, but they had brought it upon themselves. When not kicking ass and defending Estelle's honor Rita occupied herself with reading under the umbrella they had brought along, having little to no interest to get into the water. It was probably because she was shy about really showing off her swimsuit, made apparent by the short-sleeve jacket she wore over it. This didn't sit well with Yuri, who decided to show his disapproval of her sitting out by picking the small girl up and tossing her in the water. Needless to say she wasn't pleased.

Flynn wasn't sure just how much ground the two of them covered, but the little brunette did _not_ allow the older man catch his breath for even a second. When the chase was over Rite settled with a sharp kick to the other male's shin, telling him that she'd get in the water when she damn well felt like it. The blonde was pretty amused by all of this, but he still had a few problems controlling himself when the longer haired male was running around in just swimming trunks. His eyes were focused on his bare top half, his chest, his lower back, the back of his neck since he had placed his hair in a ponytail...Flynn couldn't help but give off a small groan.

Estelle voiced her concern when he began fidgeting a bit, the blonde laughing nervously as he told her that he was just fine. His words didn't seem to put her mind at ease, a few minutes later his long time friend asked if he was interested in Yuri. The blonde quickly snapped his head in her direction, eyes wide as he tried to think of what he could've said to her. He probably should've treated the situation much like he had with Raven...just tell her that he'd been sleeping with the longer haired male, conveniently leaving out the actual number of people he had slept with. But for some reason he hesitated...he was afraid. Not necessarily because it meant Estelle finding out, but because of the implications.

He wasn't in love with Yuri...so the only thing he could tell her was that he 'didn't know'. He said that that the two of them had slept together, but as far as a relationship outside of sex was concerned he couldn't give her an answer. Falling in love with the older man, though not impossible, seemed...scary, mainly because he didn't know what to expect. Yuri used flowery words when he spoke about love, but was if it was much more painful than that? What if his love was not returned? The blonde hated pain...especially pain that wasn't physical. Estelle took a moment before saying anything to him, the blonde staring at her again when she mentioned he deserved to be 'happy' with someone.

That was true, and he truly wanted to be, but that didn't necessarily mean that person was Yuri...Of course when (once again) confessing to her he had to remember to add that the two of them weren't cousin, which apparently shocked the hell out of her. Flynn knew he was a good liar, but he really had to wonder about her sometimes...The day progressed rather normally after that, Rita getting into more fights for Estelle's sake, Yuri pissing the brunette off (usually with water) and Flynn trying his best to control his lower half while Estelle questioned him nonstop about the longer haired male.

By the time the sun had set he was completely worn out, having to take a nap in the car since he could barely keep his eyes open. He heard murmurs every so often, but wasn't fully awakened until they had finished dropping off Rita and Estelle. He was a bit groggy as he walked up to the apartment, having to collapse onto the couch once inside, sleep taking him instantly. From then on everything was rather quiet...maybe a little too quiet, and that probably should've taken notice of it. But his head just wasn't in the right place for some reason, mainly because he was far too busy trying to figure out why Estelle's words at the beach hit him so hard.

Both he and Yuri were in nothing more than a physical relationship, they both had agreed on it. Well...he wasn't really sure what the longer haired male felt about their arrangement, but since he hadn't said anything about it Flynn figured he was okay with how things were going. He hadn't asked Yuri anything...and he had to wonder why. Was he afraid to learn that the older man resented him for some reason...? He has been living there without paying rent, and with an extra mouth to feed he was sure his food expenses had gone up. But he never once complained about any of it...or at least he never voiced his concerns to him. It was frustrating to think about, that maybe he actually hadn't been welcome in the other male's life...

The sweet irony of those thoughts didn't escape him...

Because the blonde still worried about the woman he called his mother he decided to visit his home, knowing that because he hadn't been there in some time that the house would probably be in shambles. It was then he made another mistake...he didn't bring Yuri along. He had just finished having his break, and Flynn figured that by the time he finished with the house and came back he'd get him to take another. The longer haired male was in the zone, and because he didn't want to disturb him he didn't tell him where he was going. He regretted it greatly...

Upon arriving back at home he found that the house wasn't messy like he had originally thought, and he was rather hopeful that it was because the older woman had gone back on her pills. Like always he was startled when he heard the front door opening, his mother walking in with an arm full of grocery bags. He was tense, not saying a word until he was spoke to. When all his mother said was for him to 'wash his face' while she prepared dinner he did just that, knowing that he only heeded her commands because she was his mother...and he was afraid. After splashing a bit of water on his face in the bathroom he found himself becoming hopeful, wanting to believe that she was going to be okay and that he'd have some part of his mother back.

Even a small part was enough for him...Once back in the kitchen he found her chopping vegetables, the younger blonde sitting at the kitchen table as a rather uncomfortable silence filled the air. So he decided to talk a bit, telling her that he had found himself a job and that he'd be starting college soon. She merely gave off a few sounds of acknowledgement, Flynn getting slight uneasy until she smiled at him from over her shoulder. It seemed to calm him down. When she asked for him to take the bowl of salad she had just cut up to the table he did as he was told, but when his arm was grabbed before he could place it down he tense up. She smiled at him again, Flynn decided to smile back...though he found it a bit odd when she suddenly came in close.

His mother was just stranding a few inches away from him, smiling, that kind motherly smile that he hadn't seen since graduation...but something was wrong. It wasn't until he winced, eyes gazing down where they widened upon stopping at something that clearly shouldn't have been there. The knife, the very one his mother had been chopping vegetables with not too long ago, had been jammed into his stomach. All he could do was stare at it, the blade at least three inches inside of him out of the eight inches that could've been. When he finally looked up his mother was still smiling, but as he looked into her eyes he could tell that she wasn't there. That woman in front of him was not his mother...

"M-Mom..." But he still tried, hoping that there was a chance of her coming back. However, all hopes were dash when he finally felt the pain in his gut, the older woman twisting the knife ever so slightly.

The pain was completely taken over by pure fear, and it was in the moment that Flynn knew he needed to get the hell out of there. It must've been the adrenaline coursing through his veins that caused him to move so quickly, shoving his mother and her knife away before sprinting towards the front door. He wasn't quick enough. Just as he had partially opened the door he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, a hand grabbing the hair on the back of his head as he cried out. He could see the knife in front of his face now, and judging from its placement he knew exactly where it was going...his neck.

Had it been any other time he probably would've regretted pushing his mother to the ground, but with his life in danger he had no other choice. He sprinted away, throwing a few things to the ground to try and prevent his mother from catching up so quickly again. The younger blonde had made his way up the stairs and was about at his room before he noticed his mother on the top step, and he sure as hell did wait for her to come his way. Once inside of his room he slammed the door close, locking it before backing up a bit. He flinched when the pounding started, his mother yelling at the top of her lungs.

"OPEN THE DOOR!" There was no way in hell he'd be doing that...Backing up a bit more he tried to think of something, because she would be getting through that door at some point.

The window...he wasn't going to jump, his room was on the second floor and he'd probably just injure himself more. He at least figured that if he opened it he'd throw her off, making her believe that he had escaped. But his shoulder burned tremendously as he tried to lift it open, Flynn having to bite back the pain if he wanted to make things work. Once open the blonde slumped against the frame, his breath coming out his ragged pants. But he couldn't stop there...he needed somewhere to hide, at least until she left. The closest was big enough so without much though he sprinted over to it, making sure he didn't slam the door in case the older woman heard it.

Now he could rest. He leaned against one of the walls, sliding down until he hit the floor. Reaching up he placed his hand on his stomach, pulling it back to find it completely covered in his blood. He couldn't see it because of the lack of light, but he could feel it, and he knew he needed to call for help. 911...that was the first thing that popped into his head, but as he clumsily took out his cell from his pocket Flynn noticed that he had missed a text.

_Where the hell are you?_

It was from Yuri. He wasn't sure why he believed that calling the longer haired male would've benefited him in some way, but he did anyways, figuring that it was the blood loss making him do it. It rang a few times, and when he heard the Yuri's voice on the other side of the phone he couldn't stop himself from whimpering.

"H-Help, please, oh god, please help, Yuri."

"Flynn? Whoa, where are you? Are you okay?" He shook his head, knowing full well that the older man couldn't see him. It was then that he noticed just how hard he was breathing, the wound on his stomach stinging horribly with each breathe.

"I-I'm at my house. S-She stabbed me, oh god, she fucking stabbed me, Yuri."

"O-Okay just, shit, um, fuck, _fuck_." The other male's voice was frantic and waved, something Flynn had never heard before. There was just something about it that sickened him greatly, and even with his body racked with pain he could still figure out the reason why.

He was sickened at _himself_ for making Yuri sound like that. The blonde gritted his teeth and hissed as another sharp wave of pain ripped through his stomach...he was coming down off of his adrenalin high so everything was beginning to feel much more painful. He groaned out loud, Yuri asking if he was okay and the only thing he could respond with was a shaky 'fuck'. The longer haired male told him that he needed to hang up, quickly adding that he'd call him right back once done. When he could no longer hear Yuri he just stared at the phone, wincing as he gripped his stomach once more.

He knew he shouldn't have shined the light of the cell phone on his wound, but he needed a visual check. It was bad...shit, it was far worse then bad. There was a strain, one that lead all the way down to the crotch of his pants, the alarming part being just how much blood had been soaked up by his shirt. He didn't even want to think about the wound on his shoulder. He was losing too much blood, and if something wasn't done he'd without a doubt die from the wounds that woman outside of his door had inflicted on him. Shaking his head slight he couldn't, _wouldn't_ , allow himself to die in such a place.

When his phone ran again he picked it up instantly, the longer haired male cursing a bit as the sound of an engine starting up catch Flynn's attention in the background.

"Fuck, I'm coming over, stay on the phone until I get there." The blonde panting out a small 'okay' before covering his mouth to muffle his cry as another spasm of pain ripped through him. It was getting worst...but he figured that if he could feel anything there was still a fighting chance for him.

"F-Fuck..." He groaned as he fell onto his side, nails scrapping against the hardwood flooring.

"Come on Flynn, talk to me, just stay awake and fucking talk to me, okay?" He replied with a strangled okay before groaning again, the panic in Yuri's voice seemingly filled with even more alarm as he cursed a bit more.

"I...I-I..." His chest ached as the words flowed out of his mouth, "I-I don't want to die, Yuri."

"And you won't, so stop talking like that."

"Y-Yuri..."

"I'm on my way, so just...fuck Flynn, just..." He could hear the frustration and grief in the other male's voice, and the blonde could help but feel wetness rolling down his cheeks because of it.

"I-I'm sorry..." Flynn took a moment to cough into his hand, and even without looking he knew it was covered in blood, "I-I really put you through a lot, don't I? You must really ha-"

"Shut up, just...shut the fuck up, we'll talk about this later..." The blonde smile a little at this, knowing that the longer haired male was trying his best to stay positive even though he was panicking. It was then that he noticed that the pounding on the door had stopped...

Quickly he turned off his phone, knowing that if he merely ended the call with Yuri he'd just call back. Of course this would only make the older man panic even more, but at the moment he was more concerned with his mother finding him or not. He could hear the footsteps, the hysterical muttering to herself and the louder curse she gave off, possibly because she had seen the open window. As another painful wave hit Flynn he dug his nails into the floor, biting down on a fallen shirt to try and muffle the scream that threatened to emit from him. He would not allow his pain to get him caught...

He winced slightly at the sound of things being turned over, thrown and broken, his mother all the while repeating 'I'll kill him' like it was kind of goddamn mantra all the while. It was some time before he heard his mother leave the room, and by that time he noticed that he was becoming even more lightheaded, eyes slightly unfocused as he turned his phone back on. It instantly rang.

"Flynn? Hey, what the hell happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah...mom came in...had to be quiet...hiding in closet..." He was struggling to keep talking, eyelids heavy as he gripped his stomach again.

"I'm almost there so just hold on, okay? The para-"

"Tired..."

"What? No, don't fall asleep Flynn, just keep talking to me!" He knew he should've followed the other male's words, but...

"Sorry...can't..."

"Flynn? FLYNN!"

Even if he knew Yuri was yelling the sound of his voice seemed so far away, as if the blonde was descending into some kind of deep hole. His eyes began to close, his grip on the phone becoming so light that it slipped, tumbling to the ground where it and his hand now lay. He felt his body going numb, and when his eyes were finally shut an intense wave of fear overcame him. Flynn was dying...and he was scared. He blamed himself for everything that had happened, because if he had dealt with his mother's condition sooner he wouldn't be lying in a pool of his own blood regretting his actions.

Maybe if he had allowed her to be taken to some kind of facility where she'd receive the care she needed and deserved, then maybe the younger blonde would've gotten a small piece of his mother back. But there was no point in thinking about it now. Flynn saw flashes of light every now and then, blurred faces appearing briefly in his vision before disappearing. He could hear people frantically talking, but just what they were saying he couldn't make out no matter how hard he tried. He was confused and annoyed, though things became slightly clearer when he decided to stop getting pissed off and try a bit harder to focus.

Faces were still blurry, but at least he could make out some features here and there. He could make out his name after a while, but other than that it was nothing but gibberish. When there was nothing, no sound, no light, no faces, he became scared once more because he wasn't sure if everything would come back again. Time was something he couldn't keep track of, so when things started to become clear he knew it had been 'some time' since he had last seen any kind of light. So it was no surprised when his eyes began to flutter open, the two of them finally adjusting to the world around him, they instantly shut.

It was too bright, the ceiling so bright in fact that it was enough to make his eyes hurt. Covering his face with his arm he noticed something odd hit him, jumping a bit when it came in contact with him. Peeking from under his shield a bit he saw that it was some kind of tub connected to his arm, eyes straining as he followed it over and up where it lead to a hanging bag of blood. Completely removing his arm from his face he gazed around, eyes taking a little while to focus on the extremely white room. It only took him a few seconds to figure out where he was, since it wasn't the first time he'd been hospitalized...

Flynn knew he probably wasn't in the same room as before, but everything still seemed the same. The smell of disinfectant was overpowering, the white walls reflecting the bright light in such a way that it was almost blinding. He felt disgustingly weak, the blonde so wore out even though he had...how long had he been out...? His body ached all over, Flynn giving off a throaty groan as he shifted his position slightly. He didn't dare try and sit up, knowing that it would only strain his body to the point where he'd end just aggravating his wounds. Ah, right...Reaching down he slipped his hand under his shirt, feeling the stitches along his stomach and flinching a little as his fingers hit a particularly sore spot.

Retracting his hand he lied still for a moment, staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling as he took in everything that had happened to him. All the while he couldn't help but let the tears in the corners of his eyes fall freely, knowing that he had completely fucked up. After a while he became rather away that he couldn't move his other hand, looking over to try and find out the reason for his restraint. Someone was holding it, their cheek pressed again their folded arm as they slept soundly next to his bed, lower body supported by an uncomfortable looking hospital chair.

More tears fell as his eyes fell on the bandage on their cheek, knowing that it was because of him that it existed. Shit...he hadn't meant to get Yuri hurt...he hadn't meant for any of this to happen...He didn't want to become choked up in fear he'd wake the other male up, so he tightened his grip on the blanket below him, lip bleeding slight from the sheer force of his teeth digging into it. After a while he managed to calm himself down, and just in time at that because as he looked over at the older man was beginning to wake up. He yawned, flipping the hair that had sprawled out on the matters over his shoulder. While muttering something inaudible he sat up, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes as he glanced over at him.

Yuri never let his hand go as he did all of this.

"F-Flynn..." There were so many emotions written on the other male's face, from surprise to glee, but it all melted away and he seemed to settle with a small smile, "You're awake."

"...How long was I out...?"

"A week."

That would explain why he felt like such shit...he had been bedridden for a seven whole days. Flynn hated how raspy and weak his voice sounded but he figured that it would clear up sooner or later. Removing his hand from the other grasp he traced his fingers over the bandage on Yuri's cheek, opening his mouth to apologize but was quickly stopped when the other males fingers came up to meet his.

"Don't say anything...you didn't do anything wrong." He squeezed his hand slightly, eyes closing for a few seconds before his gaze fell on his. Flynn felt completely helpless under the longer haired male's stare, wanting to say so much but knowing that he'd only be stopped because of that _look_.

"What happened to my mother...?" His voice had a hint of fear in it, but as he spoke the blonde noticed there wasn't an ounce of concern in his voice.

"Tch, the crazy bitch is- a-ah, um, s-sorry." Yuri covered his mouth, clearly thinking he had said something wrong. Flynn merely shook his head.

"No, it's fine..."

"A-Ah...well she's down at the police station, they've been holding her there since they arrested her...The cops wanna talk to you..." That wasn't surprising...after all they needed to hear exactly how he ended up in such a state. But he wouldn't just talk about the incident...

Because he didn't want her rotting away in some prison, since child abuse and attempted murder would obviously get her locked away for a long time, he needed to show that she was not and had not been in her right mind for some time. Flynn still wanted her to get help...but felt he shouldn't have been involved with it in any way. It was pretty fucked up that it had taken him nearly dying to figure out that all those years of him trying to 'help' were only making things worse...and all the while a little piece of him died on the inside. Some time later the doctor came in to see him, saying that other than blood loss no major organs had been damaged.

They went on to say that he needed a few more days of observation before they could discharge him, the blonde nodding a bit as a response. He wasn't all the interested in hearing from the doctor what he had already known, because if something was seriously wrong he would've been hooked up to more machines. He was more tired than anything else, but wanted to stay awake since he had been unconscious for so long. So he tried his best, listening as the other male went over all the visitor that he had missed while blacked out. It became clear that even his best efforts weren't working, because after convincing himself that he would only be resting his eyes it turned out he had slept the day away.

It was pretty annoying since he wasn't even fully awake, head still foggy as he turned over to face the door. He could hear voices from outside of it, one belonging to Yuri while the other was someone unknown to him. The longer haired male sounded annoyed, and he had to slightly pity the fool who had gotten him so pissed off. When the older man walked in he closed the door behind him, letting out a irritated sigh as he did so.

"Who was that...?" His voiced still sounded rather weak much to his chagrin, but he didn't let it show on his face.

"The police. It's the second goddamn time they've come, and I keep telling them you're in no condition to be questioned." As he walked over he rubbed his temples, muttering a few more curses as he sat on the mattress.

"Thanks- what are you doing?"

"I'm tired."

He watched as Yuri removed his shoes, swinging his legs up on the bed where he lied down next to him. Flynn probably would've complained in the past, saying that his lack of respect for other's personal space was frustrating, but this time he knew better. Even if it was still an invasion the intention was clear, so he merely enjoyed the presence of another human being next to him. The hospital held a chill in it that not even the blanket he had could deal with, so the heat of another was very welcoming to him.

"Won't the nurses be pissed that you'll be staying after visiting hours?"

"Nah, I already nagged your doctor to let me spend the night, so it's fine."

That definitely sounded like something he'd do, so Flynn gave off a small chuckle as a response. But he soon stopped, finding that the action only caused the wound on his stomach to ache horribly. Reaching down he gently placed his hand against it, noticing the way the longer haired male was looking at him.

"I-I'm okay, it just hurts a little." He offered up a small, yet strained, smile to him, though the look on Yuri's face didn't change.

"I'm sure it hurts more than just 'a little'...you don't have to pretend for me." For some reason those words struck him in such a way that his chest tightened, tears flowing down his cheek before he even realized that he was crying. Grabbing Yuri's shirt, forehead pressing against his chest, he told him that it did hurt.

It was the kind of hurt that ran deeper than just his wounds, one that stemmed from the primal understand a son had for his mother. She was supposed to love him, but the fact that she had tried to kill him had tainted that understanding. Sick or not it wasn't _right_. Yuri just held him, silently stroking his hair as he gripped his shirt tighter. He was happy that the longer haired male hadn't told him that everything was going to be 'okay', because at the moment he knew they weren't. Maybe that's why he allowed himself to be comforted by the older man, because he understood that there wasn't a thing in the word he could've said that would make the situation bearable.

He believed that Yuri had been through something rather traumatic for him to understand the situation as well as he did...By the time he had stopped the blonde was completely wore out, panting a bit as he relaxed his hold on the older man's shirt. Silence filled the room, but it was comfortable enough for him to actually relax and begin to fall asleep. The weight on the bed shifted slight, but Flynn was far too exhausted to bother opening his eyes to see what the other male was doing. Just as he was about to drift off he felt a hand on his cheek, followed by the unmistakable feeling of something against his lips. He didn't wake up and freak out like he probably would've some time ago, he just allowed it to happen.

But he had to wonder just where that kiss was coming from...

"Sorry, Flynn..."


	12. Shot Twelve: Care

"I...got my own apartment."

"Oh...good for you."

Why did this have to be so goddamn awkward? He had made up his mind so long ago, so then why was he feeling guilty? It was so...completely messed up. Then again things just hadn't been right for him recently, the madness starting the moment his mother stabbed him. His body had healed just fine, but as for his mind, well...there was no helping that. The wound was deep, deep enough to the point where Flynn wasn't even sure if it would heal at all. It was all he thought about during his stay in the hospital, about the hurt he felt and how stupid he had been with handling his mother.

Deep down he knew she needed medical help, not just a few pills here and that would make her drowsy. But he was naïve enough to believe that he could do something to help her without having her be taken away from him...The blonde should've taken the opportunity when it had presented itself, because it was in that incident that he first noticed just how sick she really was. He was nine at the time, his father's death happening the previous year which weight heavy on his young mind. His mother had changed by then, going through crying fits while yelling at him about things he didn't truly understand...but she never raised her hand to him.

He wasn't sure when that changed though, when she decided that it was necessary for her to physically harm him to get her point across. It happened by the stairs, his mother suddenly grabbing both of his arms as she shook him, crying about how everything was 'his fault'. Whatever he had seen in her eyes that day had truly terrified him greatly, the younger blonde unable to do or say anything as a result. The sheer force of her slap had sent him backwards, his small body tumbling down the stairs and not stopping until he hit the wall near the bottom. He screamed the entire way down, his cries becoming louder the moment he hit the wall.

His body ached all over, but he knew there was something especially wrong with his arm. He could hear his mother screaming his name, frantic as she cradled his body while apologizing over and over again. She called 911 soon after, the paramedics and police arriving within a reasonable time-frame. The fall has broken his arm, caused him to suffer a mild concussion and a few bruises. Because it looked so suspicious the policed talked to him, asking if his mother had anything to do with his fall. It was in the moment that he had to think; if he told the truth then something horrible would've happened to his mother, but if he lied...if he lied then everything would be okay.

Even if he had been afraid, fearing what his mother would do to him, he knew she hadn't actually meant it. Flynn really couldn't hate himself for doing what he had done...he chalked that thinking up to his innocents and the belief that his mother _wouldn't_ intentionally harm him. But now he knew what she was fully capable of...He was still nursing his wounds when the police came to talk to him, Yuri trying to prevent them from entering since he wasn't completely well. The blonde merely told him that it was all right, adding that a few questions weren't going to tired him out. He huffed and plopped down in the uncomfortable looking chair he always seated himself in whenever he came to visit.

He told the authorities about everything, about the stabbing, the previous abuse, her trying to seduce him and how it all stemmed from the accident that had taken his father's life. He became a bit uncomfortable when the asked for details, especially when it came to talking about what she did when touching him. When they left he knew it wasn't over, because the justice system didn't work in such a way. There was a process, and the only thing he could hope for would be that it was over quickly. During that time he would have to retell everything he had already told the police officers, and he was sure it wouldn't get any easier no matter how many times he spoke.

But until that time he allowed his body to rest. While still hospitalized he received a hand-full of visitors, half of which cried while the other half continuously questioned him. Estelle and Rita were first up, who had visited him while he was unconscious...which he actually preferred. He didn't like seeing Estelle cry, especially when it was over him, which was why he had to turn away after awhile. The smaller brunette that had come in with her was the one who kept questioning him, asking how bad his pain was, if there was anything critically wrong with him and so on. Flynn just answered to the best of his abilities, noticing the way Rita never really looked him in the eye as she spoke.

She was trying to be strong, probably more so for Estelle and him then for herself. Rita might've had an overbearing personality, but every now and then she showed that she actually cared about the people around her. Judith came the next day, the female bartender trying her best to keep it together but it seemed she could only do so much. She cried, showing just how much she cared about him even if they rarely met outside of the bar. They didn't exchange many words, but once she was gone he could tell that the two of them had gotten closer. Raven was the last to visit, and even though he didn't shed any tears he fussed over him. It felt like something a parent would do...and it was a felling he needed in that moment.

When the older man was there Flynn missed his father, knowing that if he was still around his mother wouldn't have completely lost her mind. The blonde silently cried about this fact once when no one was around, feeling so lost, confused and angry. It wasn't until he was ready to be discharged did he see just how his thinking had taken a toll on him physically; he looked exhausted, the bags under his eyes a clear sign that no matter how much sleep he had gotten it hadn't done his body any good. His body could only take but so much anguish, the limit so very close to being reached with everything that had taken placed.

But Yuri was there...he allowed him to take his mind off things even if it was for a short while.

Even Repede, the dog who originally didn't think much of him, seemed to be rather enthusiastic about his return. He circled around him, yelping happily as he jumped and nuzzled against him. He had to make sure the rather large dog didn't hit either one of his wounds, Yuri eventually having to tell Repede to stop since he came a little too close to one. But it was a nice gesture nonetheless, and once he had calmed down he gave the Akita Inu an affectionate head rub. He would've liked for things to return to normal, but they didn't...it all starting with the court proceedings and it all went downhill from there.

It was the third time in his life he had donned a suit, and a second time it had been a somber event. The courtroom was a cold, disconnected place for him, the judge staring at him and his mother with little to no sympathy in his face. Because it was the preliminary hearing he was there just to speak about what had happened, the court trying to find out if he actually had a case. He felt completely uncomfortable as he spoke about everything his mother had done to him, having to pause every now and then to gather himself so he could continue.

He could see Raven winching in the gallery, and even if the younger blonde wasn't completely aware of what it felt like for him but he could easily guess by looking at his face. As he spoke he never once looked over at his mother, who occasionally screamed that what he was saying held no truth to it. It led to her having to be taken out of court, Flynn trying his best to block out her screams of how much she hated him for putting her in such a horrible position. If she had actually acted like a mother he wouldn't have had to...But he didn't say a word, waiting until her voice disappeared down the hallway as the court officers hauled her away.

He would've liked that to have been the last time he saw her in such a state, but it sadly wasn't...that happened during the plea bargaining. Since it was quite clear that the older woman was not in her right mind there wasn't much for the defense to go with, so the two attorneys were only left to either come to an agreement or go through a length, and completely unnecessary, trial. Since they had pleaded insanity his mother was committed to a psychiatric hospital, where she would be held until the court deemed her 'well'. Because he was still a minor (but completely capable of taking care of himself) Raven was appointed his guardian, though it wasn't as if he'd be acting as such for long.

Once again he didn't look over at his mother, because he didn't want the last few images in his mind to be of her cursing his very existence. But he could still hear her...and Flynn was sure her words could remain with him for quite some time. After telling Raven he'd be going back with Yuri he refrained from talking all that much, finding it to be too much of a hassle. The process had taken an entire two weeks to finish, the blonde physically and mentally drained from it all. The longer haired male looked a little concerned, and who could really blame him? Flynn wasn't acting like himself, and he wasn't really sure when the real 'him' would return. It was a discouraging outlook, but it was the only truth he could come to.

The longer haired male, even with all his depressing looks, continued to give him silent comfort, the kind Flynn appreciated the most. He didn't bring up what had happened in the courtroom, though he did mention that he looked good in a suit. It brought a small smile to his face, even if it didn't stay there that long. Things at the apartment just didn't feel the same, the blonde fully aware that his presence was bringing the mood down. The blonde went about the day like he normally would, but he couldn't help but feel hollow. It was like he was moving on auto-pilot, body knowing what it was supposed to be doing but mind somewhere else completely. He wanted to act normal, but...he wasn't sure what that was anymore.

And then the nightmares started. At first he'd merely awake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, body shaking and mouth slack as he panted hard. He only calmed down when he remembered that it wasn't real, that his mother was locked away in a place that would help her and was not chocking the life out of him. His little mantra only worked the first few times, because as the dreams became progressively worse so did his reactions. Instead of just jolting awake like he usually did the blonde screamed as he did so, looking around frantically as he gripped the blanket he slept with.

It was a few days later when he started to thrash about because the dreams had become more violent, only waking when the older man had shaken him hard enough. Flynn always latched into to the longer haired male whenever he managed to snap out of his panic state, probably because he was the only thing grounding him in reality. When panicked eyes fell on a frantic Yuri he knew he was awake, knew that the image of his mother trying to kill him was only in his head. But even if he was grateful for the older man's intervention, he hated the fact that he was disturbing him from his work.

The longer haired male didn't go back to his computer after he had woken up, instead he held him until the blonde fell asleep, which usually took some time. Yuri should've been working...not taking care of him...It made the blonde feel guilty, adding just another reason why he felt he shouldn't fall asleep. So he tried everything to stay awake, coffee, walking Repede at ungodly hours of the night, watching TV, pinching himself, listening to music on his MP3 player that was louder than normal and many, many more. He managed to stay away for two days, and if anything it only made him feel paranoid and jittery.

Clearly he was going about everything the wrong way, and thankfully Yuri intervened. He was brought into the bathroom, the blonde watching as the other male crouched down and began to rummage through the cabinets under the sink. A minute later a bottle was tossed to him, Flynn catching it easily as he read the label. They were sleeping pills. He looked questioningly at the longer haired male, but he felt that everything that was running through his head was only due to his paranoia...so he kept quiet. The pills worked a little too well; ten minutes after taking them he felt groggy, and when the twenty minute mark rolled by he was out like a light.

The thing was...upon waking up he didn't recall dreaming at all, though in exchange he woke up feeling so refreshed that it was almost scary. He took one before falling asleep every night, which killed the guilt he held for Yuri having to comfort him. Things were a little better when he didn't have to worry about his mother's image trying to kill him, but then his mind became preoccupied with wondering about her. She was gone...really gone, and even if he knew it was for the best the blonde was worried about her. The worst part was that he couldn't even see her for at least a year, because that was the time he figured it would take for her to show some kind of improvement.

If he showed up at the psychiatric hospital too soon he'd probably blow the progress the doctors had made, and that last thing he wanted to do was have her flip out and hurt someone. It was a hard pill for him to swallow, but he knew he either had to deal with it or regret having her placed in such a place. Flynn wasn't going to start regretting anything...the wounds on his body screamed at him for that much. They had healed up just fine, though because of the way his mother had handled the blade he was left with two scars.

He was sure they'd fade with time, but...until then they'd be a reminded of just how much caution he needed to put into visiting his mother...whenever it happened.

"Good...for me..." The blonde repeated the words, feeling slightly...surprised by them.

"That is what I said isn't it?" Yuri didn't even bother to look away from the screen as he spoke, the action irritating Flynn for some unknown reason. He was completely use to the older man continuously working when he they had a conversation sometimes, but this time around he found himself feeling pissed off.

"...Is that all you have to say?"

"Is there something else I should be saying?"

Gritting his teeth he lied back on the couch, figuring that there was no point in getting into a useless argument. But as he lay on the couch his mind began to stew over their short conversation, which was not something he had intended. Why had he wanted the other male to say more? And better yet, why was he mad that he hadn't? At first he figured that it was because he had been in his apartment for so long, and therefore thought that he'd show a little more emotion other than the clear indifference that was heard in his voice. But so what if he spoke to him like that? Wasn't it better that Yuri didn't seem to care?

The two were on friendly terms, but if they weren't _that_ close didn't that mean he had succeeded in not getting attached? Flynn wasn't sure what the older man saw him as, and for some reason this fact irked him greatly. In the past he never really made a big deal of his lack of understanding when it came to Yuri, but now...he was angry at himself for not being aware of what was going on in that head of his. Quickly getting up he knew his actions were going to be brash, selfish and childish, but he didn't care.

Grabbing the back of the other male's chair he spun it around, making the older man face him as gripped onto both of the armrests, a glare gracing his feature as he did so. Yuri looked rather surprised at what had just happened, but soon crossed his arms as he cocked his head to the side. Flynn knew that look...that stupid, apathetic look that drove him crazy if it was directed at him.

"...Is there something I can help you with?" There is was...the tone that told the blonde that Yuri couldn't care less about what he had wanted to say. Flynn couldn't help but grit his teeth at this, wanting to slap the other male so he'd at least see some kind of emotion from him other than 'you're bothering me'.

"I..." He took a moment to gather himself, quickly closing his mouth so he didn't say the wrong thing, "Why the _fuck_ do you have to be like that?"

"Flynn, I'm really not in the mood for deal with your bullshit-"

"Well you're going to, because you're pissing me off and I need to know _why_." He hadn't meant to growl out the last bit, but he was so through with Yuri's attitude that he had a hard time controlling himself. The longer haired male just looked straight at him, eyes never wavering as Flynn glared at him.

"Seriously Flynn, I don't have time-"

"Do you even care?"

"...Excuse me...?"

"Do you even care that I'm moving out? Do you even care about me-?" Flynn couldn't even finish his tirade because he was too busy reeling from the slap he had just received, the blonde holding his cheek as he gazed over at the other male.

Yuri looked absolutely livid.

"Do I care...are you seriously asking me that?" Flynn had to back up a bit when the longer haired male quickly got up, the blonde moving backwards as the other male began to come at him, "You're seriously asking me, the guy who's been housing your ass, lying for you, comforting you, _held your bloody fucking body_ \- oh god..."

Flynn was trapped; he had backed himself against a wall, the older man preventing any sort of escape as he placed both hands near either side of his head, nail digging into the paint slightly. Yuri wasn't looking at him, his head was down, and as Flynn adjusted his head slight he could see that he was biting his bottom lip.

"I...I held your bloody body until the paramedics came...and you have the au-fucking-dacity to ask if I care...?" Flynn flinched a bit when he saw the longer haired male slowly begin to look at him, and when their eyes met he could see just how much hurt Yuri was feeling.

"Yuri, I-I...just wanna know how you feel...what you're thinking-"

"Why? It's never mattered to you in the past, so why the change?" He spat those words out, the blonde very well aware of how little he had invested in the other male's opinion before. But things were different now, and he wasn't really sure why that was.

"I...I don't know. But it doesn't help that you haven't told me what I am to you..." It was true...Yuri had even said himself that Judith was his only friend, and they clearly weren't in a relationship since he found them 'bothersome', so...where did that leave him? If he wasn't a friend, lover or fuck buddy then what the hell was he?

"You're...confusing."

"What?"

"You're just confusing...that's what you are to me..." The longer haired male finally removed his hands from the wall, releasing him as he walked back over to his computer.

"Yuri, I-"

"If you wanna know how I'm feeling right now, well, I'm feeling like absolute shit," Once again he didn't look at him as he spoke, merely turning to his computer where he continued to type, "They're thinking about pulling my book from shelves..."

Flynn was honestly shocked by what the other male had told him, quickly asking why the publishing company would do such a thing. When the other male's fingers stopped moving across his keyboard the blonde grew patient, because anything that could've made Yuri give _that_ kind of look was worth shutting up for. He could see the other male clinching his hands, biting his bottom lip once more before he spoke.

"Some bigoted fucktard out there figured out that I use to write gay romance novels, so they're making a big fuss over it and trying to get my book pulled. They've rounded up more people to put pressure on the publishing company, saying that it's 'morally irresponsible' for them to keep someone who writes 'smut' on their label..." Yuri looked worn out after he finished speaking, which made the blonde wonder just how long this had been weighing on his mind.

"That's completely unfair to you-"

"You don't think I don't know that? Of course it's fucking unfair! It's unfair and fucking wrong, and there's not a goddamn thing I can do about it anymore!" He beyond pissed, the longer haired male visibly shaking as he spoke. Flynn kept his distance, not completely sure what he was supposed to be doing but knowing that it looked as if Yuri was nowhere near done talking.

"I worked too hard...love this story too much to just let it die...but it's not up to me now." When he saw the older man place is face in his hand, head down in the most dejected pose he had ever seen, Flynn knew it was time for him to move.

It didn't take him long to cross the floor over to Yuri, instantly reaching out to grasp the longer haired male tightly. He was still shaking, but at the moment he could tell that it was controlled, like the older man was holding back. It was then that recalled the words Yuri had spoken to him in the hospital, the very ones that had needed to be said because denying what he felt would've only made things worse for him.

"You don't...you don't have to pretend for me, Yuri..." He felt the longer haired male tense up, Yuri gripping his shirt tightly before he buried his face in his chest. He could tell by the wetness, the shaking of his shoulder and the 'hic' noises he heard that the older man was crying, and had it been any other time he would've been surprised.

But then he realized that Yuri wasn't some kind of one-dimensional cardboard cutout, he was a person with feelings that ran deeper than what he allowed to show on the surface. Yuri was human and was completely capable of sadness, but to actually see it come forth made him slightly uncomfortable. Flynn had always seen the longer haired male as a strong individual, so to see him breakdown was painful...but at least he understood where it was coming from.

He had witnessed the how much of his soul Yuri had put into his work, the lost hours of sleep he had gone through to make sure even the smallest detail was correct and the glee painted on his face whenever he did something he considered 'right'. Yuri loved his work, and the tears he shed were the burning passion he felt for the work he loved being treated so poorly. Flynn just held him, fully aware that there wasn't a thing he could've said to make things okay. If the situation had been flipped the older man would do the very same for him, so he merely did what he felt was right.

"I-I can't fail at this, Flynn, I just can't. I've already failed as a son, I can't fail as a writer." The blonde wasn't sure what he meant by that last part, but decided that if it was important Yuri would elaborate, "You must think I'm pretty fucking pathetic right now..."

"I don't."

"Flynn-"

"I _don't_ Yuri...seeing you like this doesn't make me think any less of you." He would never lie about something like that...Flynn didn't find the other male's actions to be childish or demeaning to his character, he was doing what anyone else would be doing if they were in his situation. And really...if he thought ill of Yuri for crying he would've been a complete idiot and hypocrite.

The older man gave off a small chuckle before removing himself from his shirt, wiping the tears away from his face with his sleeve before meekly looking to the side. And speaking of his face...he had never actually seen Yuri look like that. His cheeks were completely flushed, the tips of his ears and nose red as well and even with the small smile on his face the blonde could see the discomfort in his eyes. At that moment it was clear that he was looking at a very vulnerable Yuri. This caused his stomach to tighten, the feeling not at all painful but he had to look away from the longer haired male to make it stop. It was just...strange.

"Sorry...I mentioned something you probably didn't understand..." Yuri muttered a bit, Flynn slightly taken aback by the fact that he was being so soft-spoken.

"It's fine-"

"I have to start off by saying that my parents pretty much hate me..." The blonde quickly shut his mouth, taking in what he had just been told to him and the fact that the longer haired male was still averting his gaze from him. He didn't mind the latter...

"...It is because you're gay...?" His chest tightened a bit when Yuri nodded, watching as the older man's hands began to clench and unclench.

"Yeah...I told them back in middle school, and things just weren't the same after that." He was fidgeting now, as if what he was talking about made him physically uncomfortable, "They just started to ignore me, like it was better to pretend I never existed in the first place than accept me..."

He really wanted to stop him, because it was quite clear that they were about to approach a place where Yuri _could_ stop. Flynn couldn't lived with knowing just that small piece of what the longer haired male had told him, but as soon as a sound emitted from his mouth Yuri's head snapped in his direction. The look on his face clearly screamed 'shut the fuck up, I'm telling a sad story', and because he feared what would happen if he didn't the blonde decided to just do what was best for him. After staring at him hard for a few seconds the other male turned away, biting his lip briefly before he continued to speak.

"Three years ago-"

Fuck, it was coming, and there wasn't a think Flynn could do to stop it...

"Things were really bad for me...those damn romance novels weren't selling well, I hit some kind of mental wall, I felt like shit overall and I could barely keep up with my goddamn utilities. I really needed someone to talk to, so I said 'what the hell' and figured that something might've changed after I had moved out..." Yuri paused, fingers running through his hair before coming to grip his jeans, "As soon as my father figure out it was me he told me never to call there again, and then hung up. I seriously didn't believe it so I tried again and again...they ended up blocking my number..."

"Yuri..."

"My own fucking parents didn't even want to speak to me... _me_...so I figured 'what was the point of going on when the people I care about the most hate me...?'. So I...slit my wrists...In the end I ended calling 911."

The blonde just stood there, completely horrified with what he had just been told. Knowing that Yuri had tried to commit suicide was one thing, but finding out that it was his _parents_ who had driven him to do it was far more than he could handle. The worst part was that he completely understood that betrayed yet hopeful look in his eyes...because it was the very one he himself gave his mother every time he encountered her. Never had he expected to have something in common with Yuri, and as he reached out, grabbing the longer haired male once more, he couldn't help but feel his heart break.

"Yuri, I..." He knew he shouldn't have said a word, but..."I-I'm...I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about...this is my problem-"

"That's what I mean...I'm sorry I was such a selfish kid; all I did was complain to you about my problems, but I never bothered to ask you if you had any of your own...I-I...should've cared about you more." He felt the older man tense up at his words, Flynn wondering if maybe he actually should've kept his mouth shut.

He hadn't expected to arms to wrap themselves around his neck, the other male pulling himself up before gently pressing his lips against his. Usually he wouldn't have been startled by a kiss, the two of them engaging in one at least a few times a week since it usually let to sex. But this kiss was different. It was gentle and timid, both of which were qualities he never associate with Yuri since the older man was clearly a rough and confident kind of person. Flynn was almost tempted to break away, wanting to demand the longer haired male tell him just what was behind the action.

But instead of thinking about it too much he just kissed back, just as softly and timidly since the feeling was pretty new. He wasn't really sure how long they were connected, but when they parted the blonde couldn't help but feel small pang of disappointment in his chest. As the older man became close to his ear, his breath against his bare skin causing him to tense a bit, Flynn wasn't really sure what he was going to say.

"You know...it's really easy to shut you up like that." Even with what he was saying, Yuri voice was like velvet and he shook a bit at the sound.

"...You're such an ass sometimes, Yuri..." The longer haired male merely laughed as he turned back to his computer, Flynn grumbling a bit before plopping back down on the couch.

"But thanks."

"Huh?"

"Thank for...making me feeling better, Flynn."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he muttered a small 'don't mention it'. The smile, however, vanished as quickly as it came when Yuri asked when he was moving out, the blond momentarily forgetting that he was doing so. A silence filled the air, one the made Flynn move uncomfortably on the couch before speaking.

"...A week before the semester starts..."

Flynn only had two weeks left to be under the same roof as Yuri...and he didn't understand why his stomach churned in such an unpleasant way when he thought about it.


	13. Shot Thirteen: Waiting

It had been a month since his college life had started...and it had been precisely that long since he had been in any kind of contact with Yuri. The last time he had seen and spoken to the longer haired male was when he had moved into his new apartment, and even then not many words were exchanged between the two of them. The discomfort in the air was palpable, Flynn fidgeting in the other's car far more than he had wanted.

When the older man volunteered to help him move he really didn't think much of it at first, but once the process actually started it had taken a toll on him emotionally that wasn't made clear until he was alone. Strangely enough furniture wasn't as hard to come by as he had originally thought, Raven giving him an assortment of things that had been in storage since god knows when. In his 'new apartment present' (what Raven called it) were a mattress, dresser, couch, desk, small shelf, dinning table, chairs, TV and an assortment of pots and pans.

He doubted he'd be cooking anything...When everything was given a place Flynn slowly began to realize just how silent everything was after Raven and Yuri had left. At first he felt uncomfortable, but he contributed that to the fact that it was his first time being in a place he could call his own. It wasn't until he was sitting at the small table in the kitchen eating ramen noodles did the blonde realize just _how_ alone he really was; there wasn't a sound to be heard, no frantic typing of keys, no dog grunting whenever he walked by, no stupid remarks being sent his way randomly, no _nothing_.

He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Since when had Yuri's presence become the norm? Had he really become so stuck on the older man that he missed being with him? That was ridiculous! But...he couldn't lie to himself and say that the two of them hadn't connected in some way. Surprising as it was he had come to understand Yuri, come to understand that he had a lot more going for him than being just a grade-A pain in the ass. Even more surprising was the fact that the two of them had something in common, and even if it was bonding over unrequited parental love it was still bonding.

It was comforting to know someone else who had the same problem as him, though depressing because they couldn't do a thing to change anything. Yuri couldn't just give up being gay and Flynn couldn't bring his father back. It was the bitter reality the two of them had to live with, but at least they had one another to confide in. Well...not anymore. He wasn't sure why he was treating his moving out as such a life altering thing, especially when he could call up Yuri whenever he wanted.

But that didn't happen.

The first few weeks of college were hectic, Flynn trying his best to find all of his classes while not being late. He was pretty sure that he had at least covered fifty percent of the campus before he found them all, Things were completely different from high school, especially the whole 'different classes on different days' thing that threw him off at first. The blonde had ended up in classes he wasn't supposed to take until the following day or later in the week, always avoiding eye contact as he left feeling completely embarrassed.

When not running around like an idiot by day he was working at the bakery in the afternoon, putting on his usual charm to attract the customers. When night fell he was studying hard, munching away on whatever instant food he had prepared before hand. When not doing homework he was asleep, and Flynn had only ever experienced such exhaustion a few times in his life. It became rather routine after that, and even if he thought about Yuri from time to time he never once visited or called him.

He was sure that the ache in his chest was due to his lack of contact with the longer haired male, but he didn't understand _why_. Why did he possess such a desire to see the older man? And why did he hated himself for not even calling him? He'd think about these things as he lied on his mattress, the moments before drifting off occupied with nothing but Yuri and those goddamn feelings. Maybe he just missed the sex...because the only partner he had during that month was hid hand and bottle of lotion.

Going out wasn't even a option anymore because he was so swamped juggling work and school, the small action of jerking off enough to satisfy himself for the evening. Of course he was sociable, but just with the people around campus. Outside of that he was on his own, declining whenever someone asked if he wanted to hang out at night. He was just...too busy. Estelle and Rita sometimes came over to have study sessions since they basically had the same subjects, and it was one of the few times out of the week that he got himself a decent meal.

Delivery and instant food had been his source of energy for an entire _month_ , because it wasn't right to call up his long time friend whenever he wanted dinner. He had come to terms with his inability to cook a long time ago, so he felt that it was best for him to settle rather then disturb someone...especially Yuri. And that was another problem he had deal with; when those rare moments of free time came, usually when he had a small load of homework to do, he'd always come up with some kind of excuse to not see him. For some reason it just made him anxious.

He also feared that any interaction with the older man would distract him from his work, since it was quite clear he needed to focus. Even with his book on the fence of being canceled, he was still working hard on the next installment, refusing to stop because it was _his_ passion and no one could tell him otherwise. He wouldn't say it out loud, but that was one of the qualities he admired about Yuri: his undying will to continue on even if things were not in his favor. Flynn wasn't really sure if he could do the same, because he was sure he respected authority too much to go against it.

The longer haired male just seemed to be a rebel at heart...and sometimes he envied that.

It was at the end at the month when he finally got himself a (hopefully) permanent roommate to ease his loneliness, though at first he had almost denied their companionship. Since it was the fall it rained at least twice out of the week, Flynn having to invest in an umbrella because of it. After missing his bus he had decided to walk home, not wanting to wait in the rain even if it meant taking twenty minutes out of his schedule to reach his apartment. While going over a mental list of everything he needed to restock his fridge with, he noticed a cardboard box sitting next to a building that he been run down for some time.

After walking passed it he had to stop, wondering if his eyes had played a trick on him since he couldn't believe what he had just seen. Backtracking he found that his blue orbs had not lied, the blonde staring down at a completely drenched kitten in said cardboard box. Crouching down he noticed the words 'I NEED A HOME' written in black marker on the side, the rain causing it to bleed and run down onto the sidewalk. The kitten looked dirty, it's tiny body shaking as it stared up at him with a pleading look written all of it's body. Well shit...

He was completely conflicted; he knew he could've picked up the kitten without batting an eyelash, but because he was the kind of person who thought ahead he couldn't help but hesitate. Bringing in an animal meant another mouth to feed, not to mention the vet visits, kitty litter and an assortment of toys that would keep it from completely destroying his apartment. Having a pet was expensive. It wasn't until the most pathetic sounding meow come from the kitten did he say 'to hell with it', picking up the box before hoisting it under his arm and leaving.

He was lucky enough that his apartment complex allowed animals, or else he'd have something else to think about. Once inside the small space he went to work on cleaning the kitten up, discovering just how dirty it's fur was the moment it went from dingy grey to pearly white. It puffed up after he had toweled it off, laughing a bit as he mentally compared it to cotton ball. It was fairly cute once clean, its white body splashed with patched of brown and black here and there. He was a bit alarmed when he noticed the poor thing had a nub for a tail, checking to see if it had been mutilated by someone since he figured all cats were supposed to have long tails.

After inspection he was thankful to find that it was just how the kitten tail was, and after calming down a bit he began to think about what he needed to do about the small animal he had taken into his new home. Since he certainly didn't have cat food he figured tuna fish would be enough to hold it off until he got his next pay check, which would be soon. A towel along with an extra bed sheet would have to do as a makeshift bed, the box it had come in completely insufficient since it had been damaged by the rain. As the evening went on, Flynn going about his normal routine, he couldn't help but feel slightly happy that he was no longer alone in his apartment.

The kitten was rub up against him, sit in his lap as he did his homework and walked in-between his legs as he waited for his TV dinner to finishing warming up in the microwave. Even if the conversations were one-sided, the kitten occasionally meowing like it understood him, but at least there was another body other than his around. When he was finally paid the first thing he did was shop, getting the usual before taking an unfamiliar turn into the pet aisle. There were so many options; dry or wet food, chicken or fish based, natural and organic, store or big name brand...it just went on. It was frustrating, and even as he read the label he still wasn't getting anywhere.

"Ugh, it's just food-"

"Um..." Flynn's body went rigid, head slowly turning in the direction on the voice...even if he already knew who it belonged to, "Hey..."

"U-Um...Hey, Yuri..." His mouth suddenly went dry, unable to think of anything else to say to the older man. He fidgeted slightly, knowing that even if it had only been a month their separation had caused something to change between them.

Their eyes met a few times, the blonde unable to stare for more then a few seconds because of the feeling of pain and guild that had welled up in his chest. For some reason he felt like he had abandoned Yuri by moving out, but it wasn't like the other male would die if he wasn't around. And then he started thinking...because after leaning that Yuri had attempted suicide, Raven and Judith's words began to make sense.

The longer haired male could've easily been unstable (but not to the extent of his own mother), and as such needed someone to keep him from losing it again. It wasn't until he moved out that Flynn figured that he could've easily been the only thing keeping the older man sane. _Yuri shouldn't be left alone_...that's what they had said, and the regret he had about moving out ate away at him. He couldn't really look Yuri in the eyes because he felt he had _betrayed him_.

"So...how are things for you?"

"Just fine...not great, college is completely draining."

"I'm sure it is- oh god, is that what you've been eating?"

Flynn stared at him for a few seconds before following the other's line of sight, a look of horror growing on his face when he realized what he was talking about.

"W-What? No, no, no, this isn't for me, I swear!" He quickly put the can back on the self , "It's just that I found this cat and I have no idea what kind of food to feed it."

"Oh..." The longer haired male muttered a bit before running his fingers through his hair, Flynn recognizing what the action meant before tensing up a bit. Dammit...he hadn't meant to make the situation even worse.

"Could you, um...help me out? I mean cat food can't be that much different from dog food, right?" He wasn't trying to sound desperate, but...fuck it, he was. With a small sigh Yuri nodded, saying that the only thing he needed to focus on were price and ingredients.

He was told that if the first things listed on the car weren't some kind of meat he needed to steer clear of it, and if he didn't understand the majority of the ingredients on the back then he should just leave it be. Flynn just nodded along, finding it strangely eerie how much he enjoyed hearing the older man speak. Maybe it was because he hadn't heard his voice in a while, but...it was refreshing. When he was finished with his lecture the uncomfortable feeling came flooding back, the blonde struggling to find something else to talk about.

"So I take it you've been eating nothing but _that_ since moving out." Yuri motioned to his basket as he spoke, a wave of embarrassment washing over him again.

"W-Well I...can't really cook, and I have to eat something."

"Ah...well then why don't I come over and cook for you?" Flynn couldn't help but stare for a few seconds before allowing himself to realize what had just been said to him.

"What? N-No, I can't ask you to do that. You're busy-"

"If I was so busy do you really think I'd be standing here? Come on, I'll just make enough to last you for little while. Besides...you're not asking, I'm _insisting_."

And there it was, his trademark smirk that told him that if he didn't comply something very undesirable would happen to him. Hell, he wouldn't put it past the longer haired male to follow him home, banging on his door until he let him in. He knew Yuri, which was why the only thing the blonde could do was smirk right back, giving in because there wasn't any option left for him. He felt kind of like a dog following the other male around the grocery store, telling him about his college ventures even if he wasn't completely sure if Yuri was listening. It just felt...good to talk to him again.

When he finally paid attention to what the longer haired male was putting in his cart he titled his head to the side, noting just how much food was being gathered. He figured Yuri would keep his word and make him enough food, but it look as if he was picking up enough food to feed a small army. Could he refrigerator even hold that much? Well he'd worry about it later. When everything was paid for they loaded it into his car, Flynn suddenly feeling not so talkative as soon as the doors closed. He didn't need to give directions since Yuri knew where he lived...which prompted a very interesting question...

"...Why didn't you visit...?"

"Why didn't you call?"

That pretty much killed whatever conversation Flynn had figured they'd have. He really had no room to criticizes because he had done the very same thing, so he spent the rest of the ride with his cheek pressed against the window, eyes never once peeking over that the other male. The awkwardness didn't disappear even when they reached his apartment, Flynn silently helping Yuri bring the bags up to his apartment. When everything was placed in the kitchen he was greeted with a gentle rub against his leg, the blonde smiling a bit before reaching down and picking up the source.

"What'd you name it?" It was the first words the other male had spoken to him since the car ride, Flynn having to gather himself because of it.

"I, um...haven't named it. I'm not even sure what its gender is..." He didn't look at the longer haired male as he spoke, eyes completely focused on the animal he held in his hands.

"Oh..." It was the same 'oh' he had heard in the grocery store, which pretty much meant Yuri had become uncomfortable. It was a weird sight, especially since the longer haired male usually exuded confidence...but then that tied right back into the revelation he had come to some time ago...

The older man spent a good while cooking, the dishes ranging from spaghetti to meatloaf, and all the while very little was said between the two of them. He spent most the time on his couch with his kitten, the two of them exchanging words only when the longer haired male couldn't find something. That afternoon his homework seemed to be a chore, and he was sure Yuri's presence had something to do with it. His eyes wandered over to the moving body in his kitchen, watching was the ponytail swayed with every little movement he made.

He always put his hair up whenever he cooked, because he said the last thing he wanted to do was get his long locks dirty or contaminate the food. And then his eyes slowly lowered, scanning the other male's slender back, noting that the two of them pretty much shared the same physique. He forced himself to look away, knowing that if his gaze continued its course he could've gotten himself aroused. Not that it was bad thing, it just...didn't seem right that moment. Things were awkward and tense between the two of them, and sex really didn't seem like it'd be a good icebreaker.

He assumed that if anything it'd only make things worse...

"Where's your boning knife?" The longer haired male called from over his shoulder, Flynn staring at him blankly before speaking.

"Uh...my what?"

"Your boning knife, you know, the knife you use to de-bone meat- you know what, forget I asked." It seemed that the older man figured that there was no point in continuing, Flynn rather grateful since he had no idea what he was talking about. There were names for knives?

"Someone should really teach you how to cook."

"But then I wouldn't have an excuse to have you over." In his head it sounded funny, but as soon as the words left his lips he couldn't help but draw back, regretting the usage of the word 'excuse'.

"Oh really," If that playful tone wasn't a sign, then his turning around and smirking at him should've set off alarms, "So you need an 'excuse' to have me over? Afraid to ask me outright?"

"No, I...that's not..." He was trying his best to gasp the right words, but his attempt seemed rather futile when he noticed Yuri crossing the distance between the two of them.

"So then what is it? What kept stopping you from calling me? Nerves?" Oh god, he was so close now, the blonde having to lean back a bit to keep some kind of distance between the two of them. It obviously failed.

"I-I...don't know..." Truthfully he didn't...because he felt all of the things he believed prevented him from seeing Yuri were just, well, excuses. The longer haired male placed his hands on the back of the couch, leaning in so close to the point where their lips were almost touching.

"Really...? Because I think-" A beeping noise from the stove cut him off, Yuri giving an eye roll before removing himself from his lap. Wait...when had he sat down?

Flynn let out a shaky breath, one he didn't remember taking in, body slumping down into the couch cushion. He was use to the other male's lack of understanding when it came to personal space, but this time it was different, or at least it _felt_ different. This time around the other male's closeness wasn't a welcome thing, because it was threatening, because it told him that Yuri knew something he didn't...and was about to completely shatter whatever little shell the blonde had been living him.

Oh yes...he was very well aware that when it came to any kind of deep emotion that attached itself to the older man he instantly blocked it out, putting himself through a deep state of denial because he didn't want to admit anything to himself. He buried those unknown feelings deep within himself, scared, yes _**scared**_ , to face them. For once the blonde didn't mind the silence, and this time he kept his eyes on his work instead of Yuri's back.

He did, however, watch as his kitten jumped down from it's position next to him, pawing at his pant leg- _and oh shit he had forgotten to feed it_. Getting up he quickly sprinted into the kitchen, fishing out one of the cans of food from out of the grocery bag before looking for a small enough bowl to hold it all. Placing it down on the ground he watched as the kitten walked over and sniffed the offering, Flynn praying that it wasn't the picky type.

The last thing he wanted to do was run back to the store and buy something else because the kitten had rejected its food, and then there was no telling if it would like the next batch he bought. Luckily it was lapped up happily by the apparently very hungry kitten, the blonde crouching down to run his fingers through its soft fur.

"...You've really taken a liking to it."

"Yeah...It helps with the loneliness..."

"Well don't get too obsessed, I don't want you to start hoarding cats." A small chuckled escaped his lips at the older man's comment, still not looking up to meet his gaze. Not yet...not when he still felt so awkward.

When the longer haired male was finally finished cooking, all the extra food being stored in his refrigerator, Flynn figured it was time to stop acting so timid. Sitting at the small table he finally decided to look at the other male, noticing that he was far more interested in what was on his plate than anything else.

"So, um...how's work?" Anything to get a conversation going, even if it was a pretty routine.

"Tiresome, but I manage...haven't been laid in like a month because of it." He let out as frustrated sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair, Flynn completely understanding of his situation. He too hadn't have time to go out and have a little fun, be the teenage that he was because school came first.

"I see...it hasn't been much better for me either..."

"You know what they say about 'all work and no play', Jailbait-"

"You can't call me that anymore." There wasn't any bite in his words since he was merely stating a fact, Yuri gaze coming to meet his before a sad smile slowly crossed his lips.

"...When was it?"

"Two weeks ago."

The longer haired male merely gave him a small nod before taking a sip of his coffee, making it after cooking since he apparently was trying to pull an all-nighter with his work (something Flynn was strongly against). The blonde knew that out of all the days he should've called it should've been his own birthday, a hard wave of guilt bearing down on him once more as he thought about the possibility that he had hurt the other male.

"Happy belated-"

"Don't...please don't...you don't have to say that when I didn't even call you..." Now he really couldn't look at Yuri, sliding down in his chair as he clenched and unclenched his hands against his jeans.

"Flynn, it's okay, it's no big deal-"

"How the hell can you say that? I thought you said you cared-!" He had to stop himself, gripping tightly as his jeans as he cursed under his breath. He shouldn't have been yelling, but to hear the older man pretty much dismiss the topic, intentionally or unintentionally, made him feel hurt and upset.

He could hear the older male place his cup down on the table, Flynn not daring to look up even when he knew he was about to be hit with something he didn't want to deal with.

"...You're right...I did say that. But that does beg the question, Flynn..."

He braced himself, even though he knew there wasn't any point.

"Do you care about me?"

Biting down on his bottom lip he tense up, knowing the answer even if his mouth refused to move. Yes...he cared about Yuri, but to what extent was the thing that bothered him the most. He didn't see the longer haired male the same way he saw Rita, Judith or Estelle, and even if he was older he certainly didn't see him the same way he saw Raven. So if he wasn't a friend or an adult figure, what was he? It was all he thought about during the rest of their extremely uncomfortable dinner, Yuri not at all helping since the blonde could feel the stare that was obviously directed at him.

He wanted to tell him to stop, but knew the pressure he was putting on him was for his own benefit. Flynn shouldn't have been pussyfooting around the issue, because that's pretty much what he did with _everything_ the dealt with Yuri Lowell. That wasn't fair since he always seemed to ask for so much out of the other male. It was only a matter of time before the longer haired male became fed up with having to explain himself when the other end wasn't giving anything up.

It should've been a give and take situation, but all the blonde did was take...

When the older man's plate was empty he discarded it in the sink, muttering something about how he 'should've left' and he'd 'see him whenever'. No...he couldn't let their conversation end right there, because he wasn't sure when the next time to two of them would meet would be. He couldn't...he couldn't let Yuri leave without knowing _something_. Quickly he got to his feet, sprinting over to the door just as the longer haired male opened the door.

Placing his hand on it he slammed it shut, hands coming up to grip both of the other male's shoulder spin him around, pinning him against the piece of wood he had just closed. Obviously Yuri was confused, but for the time being the blonde decided to ignore that. Instead he tried to think about what he wanted to say, opening his mouth a few times to help himself a long.

"Yuri, I...I-I'm sorry, I-"

Before he could finish trying to figure out where he was going the longer haired male pulled him forward, crushing their lips together in such a rough manor that he couldn't help but give off a soft groan. The kiss was sloppy and wet and so unlike Yuri and _goddammit_ _if he didn't care_. He pressed his entire body weight against the other male, promptly trapping him as the kiss grew deeper, hungrier. It wasn't until he experienced it that he found out just how much he had miss _this_ , this hot bodies pressed up against one another while they fought for dominance with their tongues.

The older man's thing fingers were running themselves through his hair, disheveling it in a way that he liked because it was _Yuri_ doing it. Pressing forward a bit more he ground his knee between the other's legs, rubbing at the obvious bulge in a rough manor as he began to nip and lick at the longer haired male's neck. When Yuri give off a small chuckle, mentioning that their position seemed very familiar, he couldn't help but agree...and be slightly surprised that he remembered. Flynn had been so inexperienced then, his movements so awkward to the point of being laughable.

His first time with the older man had been an experience, one that had paved the way for so many new emotions. Like the one he was feeling in that moment, the intense lust that consumed his body screaming at him to take more of Yuri. At some point the longer haired male had wrapped his legs around his waist, the only thing keeping him from falling being Flynn's body against his.

One of his hands had slipped itself underneath the other male's shirt, Yuri's arms coming to encircle themselves around his neck to pull them even closer. Flynn couldn't help but jump a bit when he felt fingers graze his shoulder, and if it had been anyone else he would've brushed the action off. But he couldn't...because he knew Yuri knew. His fingers gently caressed the spot, as if he could still feel pain from the wound that had healed some time ago...and then he remembered his words. The longer haired male had been there with him, holding onto his unconscious, bleeding body until someone came to help.

He could only imagine the kind of thoughts were going through the other male's mind...and that made his chest tighten. Biting down lightly on Yuri's neck he received a loud moan from the other male, his other hand tugging at the blonde's hair as his legs tightened around his waist. He knew what the older man wanted, Flynn teasingly licking the spot that drove him crazy before biting down. Yuri let out a long, deep groan while rubbing his hips against his stomach, his body obviously ready to get off.

"Oh god, Flynn..."

Fuck...the way he said his name...he probably would cum his pants right there if he didn't have better self control-

"I love you."

And his erection died right there on the spot. All motion completely ceased, Flynn staring blankly at the crook of the other male's neck before leaning back slightly. The older man's head was to the side, skin completely flushed all the way to the tips of his ears. The look on his face could only be described as pure, unadulterated horror, and who could really blame him? He had just blurted out that he had loved him, and given his reaction he had clearly meant what he had said.

"You...what?" He could feel Yuri untangling himself from his waist, the longer haired male coming to stand on his own before him. He still didn't look over at him, fingers coming to rack themselves through his hair as the red on his face deepened.

"I...I said I love you..." Flynn could only stare, mind trying to reboot itself from the shock of the other male's words.

Yuri...loved him?

No...no, no, no, the older man hadn't even given him so much as a hint that he had feelings for him! In the past he...he acted...shit. Flynn probably wouldn't know the signs of romantic intent even if they were staring him in the face, so it was completely plausible that he had missed the other male's hints. He knew all about coming onto people when sex was the outcome, but he was still very much a virgin when it came to love...and that scared him.

Backing up a little he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't embarrass him, but as his eyes ran along the other male's body there was no way he could reach the same level of embarrassment as he had.

"Um...how long have you l-loved me?" The word just didn't seem right on his tongue, but he'd have to say it if there was any chance of him getting through this situation. Not saying the word would be just like denying it...

"I..." Their eyes met briefly before Yuri quickly turned away again, "I think since your prom...after that I was really confused, because I seriously thought there was no way in hell I could fall for some brat."

"Hey-!"

"But then you called me up saying that your mother had stabbed you..."

Whatever tangent the blonde was about to go on about the older man calling him a brat had died in his throat, knowing full well that the incident hadn't just affected him alone.

"Of course I thought 'oh god I don't want him to die', but then...I starting thinking 'I don't wanna be without him'...and that's when it hit me." Confessing must've caused some kind of relief to wash over him, because his visibly tense body was now a little more relaxed.

"U-Um..."

"You drive me crazy, Flynn... _crazy_. You ruffle my feathers like no one else, you're a walking headache to me sometimes, you make me wanna hit you on occasion with how stupidly overemotional you can be and even if I know you're just a teenager and it comes with the territory, trust me I know, it doesn't stop me from wanting to tell you off so badly."

Flynn would've said something about being insulted, but he was far too confused as to why the longer haired male was smiling.

"But even with everything you put me through I...can't help the way I feel." Yuri leaned against the door, head down as his long bangs shielded his face from view. The blonde felt like he should've been saying something, _anything_ , but he couldn't help but find himself completely void of any kind of quick response.

So the two of them just stood there, Flynn so very confused and Yuri biting his bottom lip anxiously, fingers tapping nervously against the wooden door behind him. There was something so very wrong about the situation, but at the same time is was so _right_. The other male was bearing his soul, looking so vulnerable and so completely out of his comfort zone. It was an example he should've followed, because the older man deserved something other than uncomfortable silence.

"S-Shit Flynn, say something...If you're going to reject me, reject me, don't just leaving me hanging like this-"

"I care about you, Yuri..."

The longer haired male seemed as if he nearly snapped his neck by the force of him looking up so quickly, shock plainly painted across his face.

"But I...don't know if it's the same as the way you feel about me, so...give me some time to think about it..." He was tense as he awaited the other male's response, not completely sure if he had said the right thing...but he was sure he had said what he had wanted to.

Flynn jumped a bit when he saw the longer haired male begin to walk over to him, body moving back slightly before he could catch himself doing it. He was probably nervous because this was such a new situation for him, the blonde not completely sure what to expect when it came to the actions of the other. When he was close enough Yuri placed both of his hands on his cheeks, gently pulling him forward and allowing their lips to meet.

It wasn't like their kiss before...if anything it was like the kiss he was given in the hospital...and the day Yuri told him about his parents...and that night at the prom... _and holy fuck how had he not noticed_? He was well aware that it felt different, but he just couldn't seem to attach the right emotion to it. But now he could tell where it was coming from, and he felt like a complete idiot for not noticing sooner. Then again...what would he have done if he had? If it had been any earlier he probably would've freaked out, told the longer haired male to stop messing with him before thinking about moving in with Raven.

He had been so immature back then, he'd admit it. He didn't take anything the longer haired male did seriously, always saw him as an annoyance that had been placed upon the Earth for the sole purpose of messing with him. Not only was it horrible of him to assume that there wasn't anything worth knowing about the older man, but it had been wrong of him to dismiss and completely refuse any kind of bonding between the two do them. He couldn't help but feel ashamed at his previous actions...

"Thanks, Flynn..." He muttered a bit after parting, and as he stepped back the blonde could see a rather depressing smile on his face, "I'll wait for you..."

With that Yuri turned on his heel and left out the door, Flynn continuing to stand there as the seconds ticked away. Tracing her fingers over his lips he could still taste the other male, the flavor of lust, want and seduction replaced with that of desperation, sadness and relief. He had seen the other male's face, seen how hopefully he had looked after they had parted from their kiss. But at the same time...he looked as if he had been rejected...

Walking over he sat himself down on his couch, his body slouched as he ran his fingers through his hair. It was so much to take in, and not only did he have to process his own feelings he had to process Yuri's. The blonde probably should've asked what the older man saw in him, because he truly felt that Yuri could've done better. It wasn't like he saw himself as undesirable, he just didn't seem to understand what the other male found so appealing about him other than his looks.

Now he was curious...but calling Yuri up when he was in such a state to inquire about something so trivial didn't seem right. Sitting back he pressed the back of his head against the couch, starting up at the ceiling as he rewound everything that had happened that day. He had run into Yuri while buying cat food, after coming back to his place the other male proceeded to prepare him food that would last him probably the rest of the month and then...

 _ **God he had fucking confessed to him**_...He had actually uttered the words 'I love you' rather than some half-assed 'I like you', and that simple change gave the statement even more weight. Yuri loved him...and what did he feel? What did he, Flynn Scifo, feel towards one Yuri Lowell? He just...didn't know...It was in that very moment of indecisiveness that he paled a bit, finally taking in what he had said to the longer haired male before his departure.

Having Yuri wait was probably far crueler than rejecting him...

"Shit..."


	14. Shot Fourteen: Alcohol

"You're still doing homework? You do know it's Friday, right?"

"I'm well aware what day it is, Yuri."

"They lets go out and have some goddamn fun, I'm so bored."

Flynn didn't need to be told, he could hear it in his voice that he was. Readjusting the phone against his ear he sighed, the two of them pretty much having the same conversation everyday. He would comment on going out because he was so bored, which would lead Flynn to admit that he was still doing homework that wasn't due until the following week and thus the longer haired male complain. He didn't whine about the tedious nature of their conversations, because at least some form of normalcy had returned to their lives.

After Yuri had confessed he had been confused for days, wondering if what had transpired between the two of them had actually occurred or if it had been some kind of vivid dream. But then that brought up a rather interesting question: _why the fuck was he having dreams about Yuri confessing to him_? His thinking had been so messed up, contradicting himself every second, back tracking to make sense of things and in the end he always gave up. It was the first time anyone had said anything like that to him, though he figured it was because high school boys didn't usually confess to one another.

It was so...strange and foreign and he didn't understand it at first. He just couldn't comprehend loving someone outside of one's family, and even if he had been attracted to a number of people physically he knew they were two completely different things. He had felt the need to fuck someone into the sheets more than he was willing to admit, knowing full well that shallow emotion stopped right when everything was said and done.

Love was, from his understanding after reading Yuri's books (he'd never confess just how many he went through), a feeling that ran deep, planting an unknowing seed before it began to blossom and grow. This seemed to be the case with the older man, since he had outright admitted this his feelings had started out as nothing more than confusion before becoming something far more complicated. Flynn certainly felt confused, but did that mean he liked- no...did that mean he _loved_ Yuri?

He did like the older man on some level, so to downgrade the other's feelings as just a 'like' would've been insulting to him. Yuri had been in love before, had experienced the heartache of rejection and the blonde didn't want to put him through that...but it wasn't right for him to accept the other male's feelings when he himself wasn't even sure of his own. It was so... _frustrating_.

While wallowing in confusion he hadn't actually expected to have any sort of interaction between himself and Yuri, so when he received a phone call from him he couldn't help but be a little nervous. Was he calling to demand that he give him some kind of answer? If so he'd have to hang up immediately, only because he didn't want to allow the other male to hear how much uncertainty he held in his voice.

But thankfully he was spared; Yuri was apparently calling just to kill his boredom, complaining that he had hit a mental wall and couldn't think of how to progress his novel. His boredom was understandable, especially given that he was now in his apartment by himself...and Flynn couldn't help but feel guilty. Though if he had been there the longer haired male would still complain about having nothing to do...

It was surprising how much the two of them talked over the course of two hours, though all the while Yuri never brought up the decision he was supposed to make. Flynn knew enough to appreciate the small interaction that had been presented to him, but it made him even more uneasy about his feelings for the longer haired male. It was two days later when the older man came over unannounced, Repede following him in as the two of them walked passed him as soon as he answered the door.

As much as he would've enjoyed the company, he was far more worried about the large dog's reaction to the kitten roaming his apartment. Sure Repede was docile for the most part, but from his observations when it came to dogs he knew they became crazy whenever some kind of small animal crossed their path. He had damn near lost control of the Akita Inu when a squirrel had crossed their path when walking him one time, so course he was rather worried.

Before he could even think about locking Aki (name suggested by Yuri since it meant autumn in Japanese...Flynn found it to be very fitting) up the small kitten bounced its way into the living room, Repede on the much smaller creature in mere seconds. As he was about to jump in Yuri pulled him back, telling him to simply watch instead of thinking of the worse. Why wouldn't he think the worst of the situation? Repede was far larger than Aki, meaning that without much force he could seriously hurt the poor kitten. But...he trusted that the older man knew what he was talking about...

This didn't stop him from remaining tense, watching as the large dog circled around his cat while said feline merely stared at him. The blonde lurched forward when Aki was sniffed, Yuri holding him firmly in place so that he couldn't interfere. When Repede merely plopped down, stretching out on the floor without a care in the world, he finally relaxed. What surprised him was when Aki jumped on the dog's side, making itself comfortable before curling up into a small ball.

When finally released he gave the other male was questioning look, Yuri merely smirking at him before going over to kneel in front of Repede. He explained that Repede had been exposed to cats since he had been a puppy, the older man admitting that he use to leave him with an elderly woman in his old complex who owned at least five cats whenever he left to run an errand. That explained a lot...but goddamn him for making him panic like that.

He should've known better though; Yuri liked to make him experience things before explaining them, which was all fine and good but...not when the safety of his kitten was on the line! For this he lightly punched the other male's arm, saying that if he ever did something like that again he'd pay him back tenfold. A small smile graced his lips as he heard Yuri laugh at his comment, but as quickly as it appeared it disappeared.

The person inside of his apartment had just admitted that he was in love with him not too long ago, and yet he was acting as if everything was completely fine between the two of them. Yuri probably didn't want to remind him of what had happened, but...it was too late for that...Just him being there was enough of a reminder, and during the duration of his visit Flynn couldn't help but feel awkward. He couldn't look him in the eye, deciding to plunge himself into his homework so that his vision was focused on something else.

But of course Yuri Lowell was not one to be ignored.

The blonde always did his homework on the bed, papers sprawled everywhere in an orderly fashion...until the older man plopped down. The two of them let out aggravated sighs, though he was pretty damn sure they had very different reasons for doing so. Flipping through one of his many school books Yuri told him that he was bored, the blonde looking up momentarily to find him partially stretched out against the mattress, the lower half of his body lying on the floor.

He was fully aware that he wasn't being the best host, but the older man had just caught him at a bad time. That particular week he had three test to study for and a lab to turn in, making him a very busy person. He didn't have time to play around...but then again, if that was the case he should've outright turned the longer haired male away when he was at the door. He hated thinking that everything he did might've had a deeper meaning to it, because if that were true he'd have to find out what it all meant.

Flynn wasn't even sure if he had that much time to spare...because he really needed to put all of his focus on his school work. But with Yuri there that wasn't going to happen any time soon, but on the other hand it wasn't like he could actually interact with the longer haired male normally. After a while the older man asked him point blank if he wanted him so leave, Flynn slightly startled by their closeness as he looked up form his work. As much as he knew he should've said yes, a lump formed in his throat.

The other male's company was greatly appreciated, so much so that in all honesty he didn't want to have Yuri leave. So he merely shook his head, knowing that his loneliness was the driving force behind everything. He hated to say it but Judith was also right about him...he too was the kind of person who shouldn't have been left alone. Maybe not to the extent of Yuri's case he figured, but still...the fact that he could become so lonely when by himself said a lot.

Because he couldn't turn the other male down things began to fall into a routine; upon arriving back to his apartment his phone would ring, both he and Yuri engaging in a conversation that took up most of the night. When he didn't call it was a clear sign that he would drop by at some point, usually bringing Repede with him so that Aki had someone to play with. Surprisingly enough the large dog was well aware of his size, minding his actions whenever he was around the kitten.

"You're always bored, Yuri. Why can't you ask to do something on the weekend like normal people? At least then I'm more likely to be available." It was true though, the longer haired male never seemed to call him on Saturday or Sunday to complain.

"But it's Friday, you're a college student, that pretty much means you're supposed to be at some party hosted my someone you don't know, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and dancing like an idiot."

"That's pretty stereotypical."

"No Blondie, that's life, and there's no life to be had staying in on Fridays doing homework."

"Wow, never thought I'd hear the philosophical version of 'party hard'." He couldn't help but laugh along with Yuri, scribbling a far too long formula on his homework as he did so.

"Come on, lets go out and have some fun tonight. And if it's an issue I'll pay for everything, I don't want you spending up all of your bakery money."

Pen halted on paper, the blonde getting ready to question the other male but knew that it was only a matter of time before he found out. Smiling a little he asked just how long Yuri had known, choking a bit when the other uttered the words 'a while'.

"It was pretty easy to figure out, especially with you coming home smelling like cake." He would've merely giving out a sigh of defeat at the comment, but was far more concerned with one of the words the longer haired male had used.

"...Home?"

"Oh, um..."

The two of them stayed silent after that, though he was sure Yuri was feeling far more uncomfortable then he was. He wasn't even sure if he had ever seen the other male's apartment as 'home', though he could easily say he felt more at ease in said apartment than he did when enclosed in the four walls of his house with his mother. Shaking his head even if he knew the other male couldn't see, he told him that it was all right...

After a few moments to compose himself he smiled a little, finally deciding to give in since he knew that on some level Yuri had a point. College came with some freedom he didn't have while in high school, so he should've been taking advantage of it and have just a little fun. Since the only 'fun' place he'd ever been to was the bar, Flynn decided to allow the other male to pick the place to go. This seemed to lighten the mood, though his mind still reminded him of the fact that he was about to go out with the guy who had confessed to him.

"I'll come over to pick you up in an hour...ya still there, Blondie?" Flynn merely gave a small 'yeah', feeling rather timid because he was once again reminded of their situation. After hanging up he ran his fingers through his hair, trying his best to remember that he was going out to have fun.

"Shit..." He muttered under his breath as he continued writing, hating how much he had changed because of everything.

After thirty minutes he decided to push his homework aside for whenever he came back, getting himself ready for the outing he and Yuri were going on. While the water began to heat (since it took five minutes for it to do so every time) he began to gather his clothes, wondering if he should dress up or just were what he usually did whenever he and the longer haired male were together.

After opening one of his drawers he had to stop, finding his train of thought to be absolutely ridiculous. It was just Yuri! He didn't need to do anything special, it wasn't like they were going on a date or anything. It was just an outing between two guys...though he probably should've put some thought into what he would wear just in case.

Just as the water became the right temperature he decided on a dark blue turtleneck and a pair of black jeans he had never seen before (he might've accidentally taken them from Yuri's place without knowing). After stepping into the jet-stream of hot water he sighed a bit, wondering why things had become so complicated. If he actually understood was love was he probably wouldn't have been so conflicted. If he had he probably would've come to the conclusion much faster, much easier.

As much as he knew it probably would've hurt him greatly, he wished he had experienced the unrequited love Yuri had during his high school days. He had only ever been attracted to his classmate's looks, but never once developed a feeling for them on a deeper, more psychological level. Maybe it was because he was too afraid of the consequences to really try and develop such a bond in the past, but...what was there to fear now?

He was free to love whoever he pleased...so why was he hesitating?

Shaking his head he went about washing himself, deciding he'd once again deal with the issue on a later date. Flynn was well aware that it was a horrible idea, but he was doing what he did best in hard situations...run. Once the soap was washed from his body he stepped out of the tub, hands moving over the bathroom mirror to clear away the condensation that clung to it.

He looked tired, and given how hard he had been working it was to be expected. Flynn figured he shouldn't have been so tough on himself, because he was only eighteen once he and should've had some kind of fun at his age. Chuckling a bit as he ran his fingers through his still damp hair, he had to wonder just when the longer haired male's ideals had rubbed off on him.

The old him would've taken his temperature, thinking himself ill for even fathoming having fun before schooling. But things change...and he didn't mind it in the slightest. Once finished with his bathroom routine he made his way into his room to change, growing anxious as the seconds ticked away once he was fully clothed. His foot tapped nervously against the hardwood flooring as he sat on his couch, telling himself over and over against that he and Yuri were _**not**_ going on a date.

Just because the other male had confessed to him didn't mean his intentions always led back to something romantic, because if he knew Yuri he knew he wasn't the 'planning' type. He just did things whenever he felt like doing them. As Aki hopped up on his lap he scratched behind its ears, smiling a bit as he found himself calming down a bit. So what it was a date?

It was like he couldn't handle it- well...given that it would be his first date if it was one, so he wasn't even sure if he _could_ handle it.

"Why are things so damn complicated...?" In response Aki just rubbed up against him, clearly not aware of what was going on in his head but still comforted him. The two of them stayed like that until a knock at the door broke the silence, the blonde swallowing hard before getting up.

He wasn't even aware of how sweaty his palms were until he went to grab the doorknob, having to rub them against his pants to rid himself of the excess moisture. The blonde couldn't help but hesitate when opening the door, only snapping out of his trance when the words 'are you jerking off in there? Open up!' come from the other side. When he actually did wrap his fingers around the metal knob, pulling it back to open the door, he braced himself for whatever was to come.

"...Those are my jeans."

Seriously? They were going out and that was the first thing he said...?

"Oh, um...I must've taken them by accident."

"Meh, it's fine, they look better on you." With a small 'okay then' he followed Yuri down the hall, closing and locking his apartment door behind him before doing so.

"Hey, um-"

"It's not a date, Blondie." Flynn could only stare at the longer haired male as he continued, "I know you too well. You were probably in there freaking out about the two of us going out since I said I loved you, but there's nothing to worry about. I can put my personal feelings aside for one night, Flynn."

That didn't exactly seem fair to the other male, but then again their whole situation was completely against him. And suddenly a strong since of guilt washed over him, causing him to once again hate himself for his indecisiveness.

"Come on, we're supposed to be having fun. I can't take you out with that look on your face, people will think I kidnapped you." A small chuckled escaped the blonde, appreciating the fact that even when he felt his worst Yuri could at least make him laugh.

"All right, all right, come on."

He had expected things to get a little better from then on, but he didn't even make it to the other male's car before falling back into his previous behavior. He couldn't look over at Yuri, opting to instead avert his eyes to the side, staring out of the window once inside his car. When the other male ask what their destination was he merely said that it was up to him, earning a rather irritated sign from Yuri.

"Okay, so what? You wanna forgo hanging out because you can't even look at me straight? Or should we just make-out in the car? I mean you think this is a date anyways, so lets screw whatever we were going to do." The longer haired male crossed his arms as he spoke, completely catching him off guard.

"W-What? No, that's not-"

"Then _stop it_. I know this is awkward, how the hell do you think I feel? But goddammit Flynn, I wanna take you out as a _friend_ , so stop acting like that." He looked irritated, and rightfully so, but the blonde couldn't help but return the other male's irritation with his own.

"Well sorry, but how do expect me to act normal when it's the first time someone's confessed to me? I can't exactly handle something I have no experience with!" He hadn't meant for his words to hold such a bite to them, but it looked as if the other male didn't seem to mind. Instead he looked...perplexed.

"Wait so..." It really seemed as if the longer haired male was trying his best to hide the smirk that was forming on his lips, "I'm the first person who's ever confessed to you? Well shit Blondie, I knew you were a virgin when it came to certain things, but I really didn't think I was the one to pop your cherry on all occasions!"

Now he was outright laughing at him, forehead pressed against the steering wheel as his shoulders bounced with each loud cackle. Flynn had wanted to tell him off right there, but was far too busy drowning in the sea of embarrassment he had found himself in. He could in no way deny the blush that had spread across his face, the glare that was directed at the other male so strong he figured that it should've burned a hole in his skull at some point.

"S-Sorry, it's just...what the hell kind of social life did you have before meeting me?" The blonde grumbled a bit, but of course he should've expected Yuri telling him to speak up.

"I said I didn't have one..." He sank further in his seat, wanting to just die so he could stop feeling so goddamn embarrassed. A silence filled the air, though the blonde really wasn't worried about the reason since he was too busy trying to rescue what little of his composer he had left.

"...Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Meeting me..."

For once Flynn didn't hesitate; he told the longer haired male point blank that he didn't regret a thing, and even if there were times he hated the other's guts he never felt their meeting had been a mistake. Yuri just started at him from his position on the steering wheel, the blonde having to look away after a while because he, once again, couldn't read him.

"...You're cute when you're serious."

He wasn't really sure what he choked on, his saliva, the shock or the embarrassment, but it was rather hard to suppress the violent coughing fit in response to the other's words. Apparently it was 'Make Flynn Blush Like an Idiot Day' and no one had informed him of such. Yuri didn't say anything to him after that, and he didn't really mind it all that much.

When the car started, it pulling out of the parking lot before stating down the road, he glanced over at the longer haired male from the corner of his eye. Flynn probably shouldn't haven't been surprised by the half smirk that was plastered on the other male's lips, though it didn't stop him from scrunching his nose up in irritation. When he noticed the two of them driving past the bar he perked up a bit, wondering just where they were headed to.

He decided to let the older man take him wherever, because even if he asked Yuri just where they were headed the answer would probable be just a shoulder shrug. Because the longer haired male wasn't the type to listen to music in his car the small space was filled with an eerier silent, the blonde wondering if he should finally ask the question that had been plaguing him for so long.

"Hey, um..." He rubbed the back of his head as he gathered enough courage to speak, "What...w-what exactly do you like about me?"

Even with his focus on the road the blonde could see the other's eyes widen slightly, though he was sure he wasn't overstepping his boundaries. If the other had feelings for him then he deserved to ask about them. When the came to a red light the longer haired male sighed a bit, fingers clinching the steering wheel as he looked over at him.

"Outside of how you look, you're the exact opposite of me, which I found fascinating at first. I couldn't date someone like me, someone who isn't grounded in reality and impulsive. I've self aware enough to realize that I need stability in my life..." He finished speaking just as the light changed, eyes leaving his as they turned back to the road.

Even if he felt a tinge of embarrassment, he knew what the other male was talking about. From what he had heard Yuri's life had been...eventful, so it wasn't all that surprising to hear him say that he wanted someone stable around him. Sliding down in his seat slightly he ran his fingers through his hair, hating how he was the only thing keeping the older man from doing something that would threaten his life.

Flynn didn't hate that such a huge responsibility was given to him, he hated that he was only recognized his purpose _after_ dealing what could've easily been a horrible blow to the other's psyche. He had been so self-centered in the past, but now that he was aware of everything he felt he had some things to make up for.

"I think you deserve better." It took Flynn a few seconds to register that those words had actually left his lips, horror washing over him as he covered his mouth with his hands. He wasn't really sure how the longer haired male had managed to slam on the break and not be hit by another car, but he had, and all the while Flynn was rather thankful he was wearing his seat-belt.

"...What?"

"I-I..." Shit, now he was really in a bind, "I just thought...I'm pretty plain Yuri, I just thought you deserved someone better, someone who's stable and exciting."

"Quite frankly Flynn...I don't believe I deserve to be with anyone, so to hear to say that I deserve _anything_ makes me pretty happy." He gave him a small smile before driving off, the blonde's face flushing a bit as he turned away as well. Flynn wasn't sure what was worse: him blushing _once again_ or him finding Yuri's smile attractive.

Shit...upon thinking back on things, he had _always_ found Yuri's smile stunning...

Finding something about the longer haired male attractive in a non-sexual way was new for him, because it meant he was looking at something deeper then what was presented to him. When Yuri smiled like that it made his entire being light up, the other male clearly pulling from a profound emotion that he probably didn't show to many people.

As outgoing and spontaneous as he may be, the older man was extremely guarded about his emotions. It was a surprising fact he had learned only after he had seen the real Yuri, the one who had been furious with him for asking if he cared about him, had broken down because he 'couldn't' fail', had told him about his parents and had recently confessed to him. Sure he had seen the longer haired male get mad at him before, but never like that, never with so much hurt behind his words.

That day he finally recognized just how vulnerable Yuri really was...and it was scary to have his then view of the other male replaced with _reality_. Because reality was painful. Glancing over he noticed how relaxed the other male looked, which was probably due to the conversation they had just had. But it really made him wonder why the older man had such a low opinion of himself, and this made him believe that his self-confidence was just a façade he presented to the world to deal with his supposed shortcomings.

When the car stopped Flynn gazed around, trying to figure out where they were exactly. He found a wooden sign that said ' **BLUE SHAMROCK PUB** ', the blonde removing himself from the car before staring at Yuri from over the roof of the car.

"If you wanted us to go to a bar, why not just stop by the one Judith works at?"

"Because I can't very well get you drunk with her around, she'd totally nag me about it." As he opened his mouth to speak, it seemed one too many things wanted to come up, thus leading him to silence. Had he seriously taken him out just to get him drunk?

No way...Yuri wasn't that irresponsible...At least that's what he thought before watching the longer haired male walk in the direction of the pub entrance.

"Whoa! Wait! Yuri, hey!" He quickly sprinted over to the older man before taking the hand that was about to push the door open, "We can't do this!"

"Why not?"

"Because, I don't know...IT'S ILLEGAL!" They were seriously not having this conversation...maybe he had fallen asleep in the car and this was some kind of weird ass dream. But no...as he discreetly pinched himself there was no way to deny the pain, or the fact that he was still standing there holding Yuri's hand-

Wait...he was holding Yuri's hand...

Quickly he let go, as if the other male's touch had burned him suddenly. Before things became awkward he told Yuri that they should really reconsider doing something else...like just hanging out at his place. Of course this suggestion was instantly shot down, the longer haired male taking his shoulders from behind to push him into the establishment. Once inside they were seated in a booth near the back, the blonde slouching down a bit as he began regretting having agreed to their outing.

"Two beers and a water." The waitress gave him a small nod before going off to fill Yuri's order.

"Oh god..."

"Come on Blondie, relax a little! You know, probably half of the people on campus are getting hammered as we speak while engaging in anonymous sex."

"College isn't all about sex and booze, Yuri..."

"Only people who keep their noses in books says that kind of thing." Flynn quickly shut his mouth, knowing that the other male really did have a point. Even if he had been invited to parties by classmates he always turned them down in favor of studying, so he really had no way to disprove the older man.

"Come on, it's just a beer or two, it's not like I'm forcing you to do shots of vodka." He stared at the longer haired male because of that, wondering if he really believed that the type of alcohol mattered.

"...If I'm drinking, you can't have a drop. And you better swear to me you're taking responsibility for my drunk ass if it comes to that..." He crossed his arms as he spoke, making sure to sound stern enough so that Yuri understood that he wasn't joking around. In turn the other male just started right back at him, eyes scanning his body before coming back to meet his.

"...You really are cute when you're serious."

Okay, seriously...who says those kind of things with such a straight face? Flynn had to look away, muttering a small curse under his breath as he began to wonder if he should watch his words a little more. When the waitress returned he was rather shocked to find that 'a beer' consisted of an entire pint instead of the bottle, the blonde eying it hesitantly before looking over to Yuri.

The longer haired male merely had his fingers knitted together, chin resting on said fingers as a smirk tugged at his lips. He was probably going to do nothing but observe him throughout the entire process...When the waitress was gone Flynn hesitantly wrapped his fingers around one of the glasses, scooting his forward until it sat in front of him.

This was so wrong...but upon thinking about it he had already engaged in the anonymous sex, so hell why not add another thing to the list of shit he'd never thought he'd do. Because the beer had a rather frothy head to it he tired to lift it without spilling anything, which proved rather futile since it still dribbled down his hand before it even reach his mouth.

The beverage was bitter on his lips and even more so in his mouth, and after drinking a bit he finally understood people coughed when drinking alcohol. It burned going down. After his small coughing fit he glanced over at Yuri who seemingly hadn't moved from his position; however, the smirk on his face had definitely gotten wider. Flynn couldn't help but make a face because of this, though it didn't stop him from taking another sip.

After downing the first pint he sat back and signed, deciding that pacing himself was definitely for the best. He figure that if he took it slow he'd recognize the moment he became buzzed, it being a clear sign that he need to ask the other male to take him home.

"So...what do you think?"

"It taste like what I imagine cat piss does." It was the truth...he found nothing enjoyable about drinking something so assertively bitter.

"Then I guess no red Dixie cups for you during parties."

Flynn snorted a bit at his comment, briefly wondering when red Dixie cups became synonymous with college parties. It was probably because they were cheap and could be bought in bulk rather easily. That seemed to make the most sense...but now that he thought about it he was thinking of some pretty random things in that short time span. Sitting back up he shook his head a bit, reaching for the glass of water before Yuri snatched it away.

"What-"

"I have to drink _something_ while I'm here, you know, being barred from having no alcohol and all." Well that was a pretty big dick move...The blonde only gave him a small glare before drawing his attention back to the other pint of beer.

He was already feeling something...but it was pretty minor. So did that mean it was all right for him to drink the other...? Well...half should've been enough for him. Someway or another half became the whole goddamn thing, and before he knew it his cheek was placed against the cool surface of the table they were sitting at. His head was doing... _things_ , things it shouldn't have been doing because he was so far past buzzed. Then again it was pretty stupid of him to assume he knew the difference between buzzed and flat out drunk.

"Hey, Yuri..." Why was he talking? The last thing he needed to be doing was speaking, "About what we talked about over the phone..."

"Hm? What do you mean-?"

"I really did think of your place as home...it made me feel safe."

Yuri just started at him with a look of disbelief on his face, the blonde slightly confused as to why. He was just telling the truth, so why was he looking at him like that? It was a few seconds later that the older man reached his hand over, placing it atop of his head before gently stroking his hair. It was soothing, and if Flynn had been tired it probably would've whisked him away to unconsciousness before he even realized it.

"...You're drunk."

"Probably, yeah." Truth be told he couldn't really know if what he was feeling were merely the early stages of being drunk or if he was already hammered. He knew for a fact that he was lightheaded as hell, his thoughts slowly spiraling around madly as he tried to get a grip.

He knew it was pointless though...

"Flynn-"

"I'm afraid..."

"Huh?"

"Of falling for you...it scares me..." He could hear himself speaking, but as far as understanding what he was saying...everything sounded muffled to his ears, "I don't know what to do with myself...Every time I think about you I get frustrated, because I don't know if what I'm feeling for you is love or friendship or admiration...But I..."

He could feel himself moving, just a bit, and before he knew it he had placed Yuri's hand against his cheek, rubbing his tenderly against his soft skin.

"I'm so sorry for making you wait for my answer..." He snorted a bit before looking away, "You do deserve better than some immature kid..."

Because his sense of time was pretty off, Flynn wasn't sure just how long everything stilled for. There was no sound, no movement and no sign that Yuri had reacted, but he was at least aware enough to know that something was going to happen. But as the two of them sat in silence the blonde felt like he was losing himself little by little, like his body was becoming far more willing to do thing he had been afraid to do in the past.

"...So...how would you feel if I started dating someone else...? I mean, you said I 'deserve better'-"

" _I'd fucking hate it_..." The hand that was placed against the longer haired male's tightened, "The mere thought of you with someone else pisses me off so much..."

There was another bout of silence before Yuri pulled his hand away, Flynn watching as he fished a small amount of bills out of his pocket before placing them on the table. He didn't remember being hoisted up from his seat, but he figured something must've happened since he was being lead to the front entrance by the other male. Once in the car the blonde slumped down in his seat, staring out of the window as he heard the engine start.

He knew he was babbling nonsense the entire way, mostly about anything he saw out of the window, but all the while Yuri remained silent. It was all right though, because he was sure he sounded like a complete idiot. After blacking out in the car at some point he regained consciousness to find his body being hauled up the stairs by the older man, Flynn wanting to help him out but it seemed his legs were being rather uncooperative. Once on his floor he heard the muffled sound of the other male speaking, the blonde looking his way to see if he could comprehend those words a little better.

"Keys, Flynn, keys."

"Oh, um...pocket." He tried going for it but Yuri beat him to it, fishing his apartment keys out of his left front pocket as he sighed a bit. It was probably for the best though...he wasn't sure how long he would've taken trying to find his keys if the other male had allowed him to quest for them.

Once inside he still didn't forget to say a small 'I'm home' for Aki to hear, though he could hardly tell where the small kitten was in his state. It sounded incredibly slurred to his ears, but he made no comment about it, instead he merely clung to the longer haired male when it seemed he was about to place him down on his mattress.

"Flynn, let go-"

"Stay." It was as simply as he could put it without sounding like an idiot, his grip on the older man tightening as he spoke.

"I...I really don't think I should, Flynn...I-"

At first he wasn't sure why he suddenly decided to kiss Yuri, but after a moment he figured it was because of the look he saw on his face. Even in his drunken state he could recognize the look of someone trying to run away from something, and since he himself was the poster child for that he knew it when he saw it. Initially the longer haired male was tense, probably from the shock of suddenly being kissed, but soon he relaxed into it.

His perception of time seemed to come and go as his state deteriorated more, so he wasn't actually aware of how long the two of them were sucking face before they ended up on his mattress. The older man was hovering over him, letting out small puffs of air as a crimson blush spread across his face. Reaching up he ran his fingers through the other male's hair, repeating the motion once, twice and a third time before coming to rest on one of his cheeks.

"Wait..." Reaching down he pulled the roaming hand away from his crotch, the action earning him a confused look from the other male.

"What's wrong-?"

"Just...wanna make out...no fuck." God he sounded horrible...but at least he got his point across. Yuri just started at him before giving him a small smile, the older man leaning down to allow their lips to connect again.

It was a strange feeling for the two of them to be in such position and just be kissing, but it was the only thing he felt like doing at the moment (other than maybe passing out...his head was swimming like crazy). As sexually attracted as he was to the longer haired male there was nothing sexual about how he felt, no erection, no deep want, no nothing...and for some odd reason it felt right. The blonde held onto him tighter, because whenever something felt 'right' when it came to Yuri it usually meant something deep.

Apparently the upside to being intoxicated was that he couldn't think clearly, and the last thing he wanted was for their moment to be ruined by him over thinking. For once he didn't want to figured out what it all meant...he just allowed the moment to happen. The other male tasted of something sweet and something that was just distantly Yuri, the taste so familiar and comforting. How long had it been since they had done this? Just...make out without any sexual implications?

After thinking about it...the two of them had never been in such a situation before...

As much as he would've liked to continue on with their make out session, it was rudely interrupted when everything around him suddenly went dark. It was as if his consciousness suddenly did a cliff dive without informing him beforehand, because he certainly felt like he was falling. The worst part? He didn't know when he'd hit bottom. If anything it was a frightening feeling, one that reminded him of when he had blacked out after being stabbed. There were no indications of him coming around this time, no flashing lights or muddled sounds that told him that something was going on around him.

It was as if he had started taking those sleeping pill again...but this time around he was well aware that he wasn't dreaming. When it became clear that he was starting to come to, a sense of relief began to wash over him, the blonde never so happy to have the sun beaming down on him. Actually...scratch that...As soon as the light hit his eyes he instantly covered his head with his blanket, groaning as he squeezed his eyelids shut to try and block out the brightness.

Well...this was a rather unfortunate event...He had never once wondered what it would feel like to be hung-over, and now that he was he was going to make damn sure it didn't happen again. At least Yuri's handy work seemed to have one positive outcome: Flynn was never going to touch alcohol for as long as he lived. And speaking of Yuri...Peeking out from his cocoon he didn't see the other male anywhere (it wasn't like his room was all that big), but the smell in the air told him that he hadn't left his apartment. Oh no...the smell of food...

"O-Oh god." Quickly he got to his feet and ran as quickly as he could to the bathroom, very thankful that he had the habit of leaving the toilet lid up. There was no lead up, no dry heaving, it just all came out in one horrible burst after another.

Once it seemed like he had gotten everything out the blonde slumped against the toilet seat, cheek pressed against the pearly white porcelain as he held onto it for dear life in case another wave of nausea hit him. He barely remembered last night after drinking that second pint of beer, and what he did recall he tried to best to figure out why he had done it. He remembered talking to the longer haired male about something, remembered apologizing for something, remembered getting upset and remembered making- oh right...they made out on his bed.

"You look like shit...sorry." Flynn didn't bother to look up, though he did stare at the glass of water that was placed near him.

"Don't worry about it...j-just shut the door so I don't smell-" Before he could even finish he vomited into the toilet once again, but surprisingly enough he didn't seem embarrassed that he was being such a wreck in front of the other male. He did jump a little when he felt a hand on his back, though when it began rubbing gentle circles he relaxed a bit.

"...How much of last night do you remember?"

"Bits and pieces..."

"Ah...so I guess I shouldn't ask questions..."

What was that supposed to mean? Maybe if he could recall more of the previous night then he wouldn't have to feel so confused...but at the same time he was sure he said something he probably never would when sober. When he asked Yuri if he had done anything he deemed 'foolish' the older man just shook his head, though he probably should've been a bit more specific...

"What did I say to make you tear up _and_ blush at the same time...?" Out of all the things he did remember that stuck out the most to him, the stunned look the other male had on his face while the two of them sat at the pub, cheeks beat red as tears steamed down his face, _that_ was the most poignant.

"Shit..." He watched as the other male ran his fingers through his hair, "Kinda wish you hadn't remembered that..."

When Yuri leaned against the sink, his eyes staring into his for a few seconds before looking away, Flynn wasn't sure if he was ready for whatever was about to be said.

"You know...I was really ready to write this whole thing off as another one-sided crush," A bitter chuckled escaped his lips as he gripped the ledge of the sink, "But...last night made me believe that it isn't, that maybe my stupid confession was really worth it."

"...It wasn't stupid." He knew he was overlooking the rest of what the longer haired male was saying, but he would get to that soon enough. Yuri just looked at him for a brief second before looking away, and the blonde was sure he had seen a faint blush on the other's cheeks.

After taking a few sips of water he staggered upward, eyes getting the best view of the longer haired male's face to find that he was indeed blushing. He didn't find it odd though; since Yuri had opened up to him these displays were just further proof of what he felt.

"...How do you know this isn't a one-sided thing...?" He really wished he remembered the actual conversation so he knew how he came to that conclusion...Leaning in a bit, arms coming to wrap themselves around his neck, Yuri smirked at him, the realization slowly dawning on him as the other male spoke.

"Figure. It. Out."

He had just started up a new game of 'I know something you don't know' with Yuri...


	15. Shot Fifteen: Acceptance

He had never seen Yuri so nervous before...though he had every right to be. When an editor calls you up and says 'we needed to talk', it usually meant nothing good, especially given the longer haired male's situation. Flynn wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell the older man that things would be fine, especially since their relationship usually thrived on silent comfort. But this time...he felt like something needed to be said...

The longer haired male having to meet with his editor was a pretty big change from how things had been for the last two weeks, and it really wasn't a change he liked all that much. After getting himself shitface drunk Yuri seemed a lot more mischievous around him, the days of the other respecting his personal space long gone...even if it only lasted for a little while.

When he came over Yuri was always uncomfortable close him, usually draping himself over his shoulders or touching some part of his body in a way that usually made him jump. The actions were unnerving as hell, but the lewd smirk he has on his face when performed such acts was the thing that really got to him. It looked like something a perverted old man would wear...then again the older male was acting pretty perverse for someone who was twenty-four.

Flynn never liked it when Yuri kept something from him, because he had the bad habit of dangling it over his head until he figured it out. This time around he seemed to derive quite a bit of pleasure from it, much to the blonde's distress. What the hell was it that he wanted him to figure out this time? Something he had said during his drunken episode had set everything off... _but what_? After a while he decided that trying to remember the exact words that had left his lips that night was futile, so he decided to focus on the other male's behavior.

Even if he couldn't read Yuri's face, he could sure as hell read his body. The longer haired male wasn't acting like his usual love struck self, instead he was pretty much throwing himself at him...as if expecting him to react. And he did, but apparently it wasn't what Yuri was looking for. What the hell did he want from him? It seemed that school was the only physical escape he had from the older man, but mentally he was still very focused on him.

He really hated that his thoughts had been plagued with nothing but Yuri, but when he wasn't thinking about him everything just seemed so dull. It was weird...and of course whenever things looked too confusing for him to deal with there was only one person he could turn to. At first Judith just stared a him, a deeply amused look on her face as she shook her head a bit. Leaning over the counter she told him point blank that he was dense, and incredibly so at that, Flynn feeling rather offended until he heard her explanation.

Apparently she had been well aware of how Yuri felt towards him, but that really wasn't the shocking thing. What had him staring stupidly at her was when she said that it was rather obvious that he had romantic feelings for the longer haired male, and the only one who seemed to be in denial about this fact was himself. That...was that was absurd! He blew her words off, refusing to believe Judith since he himself wasn't even sure of his own feelings...so how could she be?

Flynn only lasted a day before the female bartender's words began to haunt him...mostly because he knew they had been right on so many previous occasions. It was because of his thoughts that he began to act a bit more awkward around Yuri, his touching effecting him much more then it had before. It was especially bad whenever they had a make-out session, because he could not for the life of him look the other male in the eyes afterwards.

The flushed look on the other's face never helped, eyes half-lid, breath coming out in short pants and lips swollen from being kissed...god...As turned on as that sight made him, the two of them hadn't had sex for some time. For some reason this didn't frustrate him; he doesn't feel that deep desire to screw Yuri into the sheets like he had before, and instead the blonde simply enjoys the time they spend together. It was comforting.

Though of course the comforting nature of things didn't stop him from feeling nervous when Yuri did certain things...

Case in point...after spending the entire afternoon at his place the longer haired male deemed it 'too late' to return home, and thus announced that he was spending the night. Flynn barely had time to comprehend what had been said before the older man sashayed his way into his room, Repede following right behind him. He stared shockingly at the door to his room before directing his gaze throws Aki, the small kitten giving him a look that clearly read 'what do you want me to do about it?' and really...he probably shouldn't have been looking to his cat for answers.

Peeking into his room he found Yuri stripping, a small sign escaping his lips before he asked if he wanted to borrow some clothes to sleep in. He only suggested this because there was a minor draft in his room, and he knew that the longer haired male had the habit of sleeping only his underwear. So it wasn't like he was afraid to see him wearing barely anything...or at least that's what he told him.

With a quick glance over his shoulder Yuri told him that just a tank top would be fine, the blonde ignoring the sign of relief that had escaped his lips. After fishing around his dresser he finally found what he was looking for; Flynn never really invested in clothing such a tank tops, but he was sure he at least owned one. After tossing it to the older man he quickly turned his back, not wanting to see the way the other's body moved as he slipped the top on.

There was something so very messed up about their situation...and he knew it was his own fault. In the past having the longer haired male sleep next to him wouldn't have been a big deal, but with him being so hyper-aware of everything dealing with Yuri he couldn't help but be tense. His mattress was at least big enough to hold two people, though that didn't make the sent up any less awkward.

At the foot of the mattress was Repede, and he really didn't mind the large dog being there since he made for a great heater. Aki was curled up in between his and Yuri's pillow, which made Flynn less worried since the odds of either of them rolling on it had lowered. And then there was Yuri himself...he was positioned directly across from him, though it would seem luck was momentarily on his side since the longer haired male was facing away from him. It helped things, if only a little.

It didn't, however, make it any easier for him to fall asleep. Even with his back turned to the longer haired male he couldn't feel completely comfortable. He stayed awake, staring at his bedroom door until he couldn't anymore. He was grateful when his eyes finally closed, because the last thing he wanted to do was spend the entire night up when he had classes the next day.

Because he moved around in his sleep he shouldn't have been surprised upon waking up to Yuri's face mere inches away from his, the closeness causing him to jump a bit. The only way they could've become so close was if Aki had moved sometime during the night, and sure enough he managed to locate the kitten down at the foot of the mattress with Repede. He had seen Yuri's sleeping face before, but this time around he was more aware of the other, more aware that his feelings were certainly changing for the other male.

Yuri possessed such a feminine face, and at first glance he was sure most would probably confuse him for a woman. He had seen so many emotions on that face of his, some of which frightened him greatly while others gave him great insight into what kind of person he really was. Flynn wasn't sure why he suddenly felt the need to touch the other's face, or even why he decided to give into that need, but without much thinking he reached his hand up and gently ran it against the other male's cheek.

The older man stirred but didn't wake, but his movement caused Flynn to blush ever so slightly. Running his thumb over the longer haired male's slightly parted lips he remembered just how much that mouth of his had helped him out, and he also remembered how much that sharp tongue of his had cut him on several occasions. No one had ever spoken to him like that before...but then again when someone was placed into the role of the 'good boy' most people didn't see the point in it.

But not Yuri...he spoke to him like the child that he was, and when the situation called for it like the adult he was going to become. After so many years of taking care of his mother, being the sane one because she couldn't be, he never bothered to be a kid, so to have someone actually talk to him like that after so long was bother jarring and refreshing. Yuri didn't bullshit around with him...and he was rather grateful for that.

As he dropped his hand a small smile graced his lips, because he found it so amusing how one person could change his life so much. After that he was able to fall asleep with ease, so much so that when it was finally morning the mere thought of waking up was depressing. Though when he did awaken he was treated to the sight of the other male with the most amazing bed-head he had ever seen, Yuri looking as if he hadn't caught a single wink of sleep.

Throughout the process of him getting ready for class Yuri seemingly didn't move from his spot on the mattress, not that he really minded though since he had feared him getting in the way of routine. Because he pitied the other he made up some coffee for him, though before he could even pour a cup he felt the longer haired male lean against his back. He didn't jump, instead Flynn allowed the other male's weight to just stay there.

When Yuri asked if he really needed to leave he was surprised when he hesitated, mainly because he had never bothered to stay home unless absolutely necessary. There was always a reason...so he wasn't sure why he agreed to stay home when Yuri asked him to. He tried to rationalize it by thinking that maybe it was because it was a light day for him, but when the two of them were lying on his mattress together he was sure that any reason he came up with would be a lie.

He just...didn't get it.

But all of that had to be placed on hold when he received a phone call from the longer haired male, and he instantly knew something was wrong just from the tone of his voice. It wasn't all that odd for Yuri to call him up randomly, but when his only words were 'meet me at the food court in the mall' before hanging up was when Flynn begin to worry. He got ready as quickly as he could, trying his best to figure out just what would make the other male sound like that.

The bus ride to the mall took about twenty minutes, and as soon as he was dropped off he immediately made his way to the food court. Because the mall was always crowded he had a little trouble spotting the longer haired male, though as soon as his eyes managed to find him Flynn wasted no time going over. Yuri was just sitting there, absentmindedly sipping on some kind of soft drink as he stared off into the distance.

As he called over to him the older man quickly whipped his head in his direction, the look of relief that washed over his face was almost painful to look at. As he sat next to the other male a silence fell between them, and he knew it was better for Yuri to start talking than for him to start prying. After three minutes the longer haired male began to spill; apparently he and his editor was supposed to be meeting there to talk about the future of his novel, and it was in that moment Flynn understood the severity of the situation.

There was a fifty-fifty chance that the older man's books could be canned, and in Yuri's mind that would be the 'failure' he hadn't wanted to commit. Hesitating a bit he reached out to the hand that was placed against the table, and in doing so he felt the other male tense up for a moment. Instead of staying quiet like he usually would he told Yuri that everything would be okay, and even if things don't go well for him in that moment they'd be okay down the line.

The longer haired male just stared at him for a few seconds before a small smile crept onto his lips, Flynn tensing when Yuri lied his head against his shoulder. Why had he said that? Better yet...why was he okay with Yuri showing him such affection in public? There was just so much off about what was going on, but he didn't feel the need to correct it.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting..." At this Flynn jumps a bit more than he was willing to admit, the older man giving him a strange look since he had pretty much disturbed his resting spot. Looking up he found Yuri's editor staring at the both of them, the blonde instantly straightening himself out as a result.

"I'm sorry this is so sudden..." Duke took the seat across from them, clasping his fingers together and looking like the picture perfect image of professionalism. But there was something _very_ off about his composure.

"It's fine..." At this point in time the blonde understands why Yuri doesn't bother hiding his depressed state, and it just makes it even harder for him to look his way. He had never seen the other male look so defeated, even when there was still hope for him.

"The editorial department would like me to express that this incident has been a hard blow to them as well, and as such they are doing everything within their power to deal with the damage-"

"Please just...stop beating around the bush..."

"...All right then...I'm very sorry, Yuri."

And there it was. It was the answer Flynn in no way wanted to hear, and he was sure it had cut the longer haired male to his very core. Reaching out he tried to go for the other male's hand again, but this time around he just pulled it away and placed it on his lap under the table. The blonde just started for a moment, a little shocked because it was the first time Yuri had ever refused his touch.

"And in light of your situation..." Duke continued on, making Flynn bring his attention back to him, "I have resigned."

It looked as if the other male damn near snapped his neck from the sheer force of it looking up at his editor, a look of sheer horror overcoming his features. He could only imagine what was going through that head of his, but he was sure of one thing though...he was feeling extremely guilty. Now the blonde was sure he had to do something; for Yuri this was probably rock bottom, and from what he had heard the last time Yuri had hit rock bottom he had tired to kill himself. Flynn couldn't bare to have that happen to him again.

"Yuri, this isn't your fault." He said that quicker than anticipated, but this didn't seem to get his attention. Before he could speak again Duke held his hand up, the blonde instantly silencing all of his words in the moment.

"He's right, Yuri...I'm merely leaving because of what they did, not because you forced my hand in any way..."

"But I-"

" _Yuri_...the decision to pull your book was made because they only judged your past works on their _subject_ and not their content, and had I been in charge that wouldn't have happened. And right there was the problem..." Duke looked between the two of them, eyes ultimately stopping on the focus of their conversation, "I wasn't in charge...so I decided to leave the company that cowers in fear because of a little pressure and start my own endeavor."

Flynn watched as Yuri's now former editor rose from his seat, though instead of leaving he made his way over to the other male. Leaning over he whispered something into Yuri's ear, and whatever was being said apparently made him go through an array of emotions. First seemed to be shock, followed by sadness then extreme embarrassment, which was only evident by how hard Yuri was blushing. What the hell was he saying?

Before leaving Duke flashed the blonde a quick smile, which only confused him even more. The two of them sat in silence after that, Flynn fidgeting as a result. The other male had already rejected his touch before so he wasn't really up for having it happen again, though it seemed he had bigger things to worry about.

"Well that was depressing as fuck, let's go buy something." He didn't get a chance to express his confusion before he was snatched up and drag away from their table.

"Y-Yuri-!"

"Your wardrobe is so damn tiny, we're buying you at least three shirts and a pair of pants."

He tried getting a word in, but when he was yanked once more the only thing he could do was yelp. Flynn merely stared there when the longer haired male began looking around the store for clothes, his body automatically following because he still had things to say. When he was about to open his mouth and speak, sometimes getting the older man's name out, Yuri would shove clothes in his face before pushing him in the direction of the changing room.

Instead of putting up some kind of fight he just went along with the other male's pushy actions...because he was slowly starting to get what was going on. He was sure that the other male's constant disapproval of whatever he tried on was only to prolong things, though he was only willing to put up with their little situation but for so long. Three stores, one more trip to the food court and sixty dollars later he was finally allowed to step outside to breath in semi-clean air. Their trip further solidified how much he detested the mall...

Because it was closer, the two of them began to make their way to the blonde's place, and all the while Flynn sneaking a few glances at the other every now and then. How long did he really think he could keep this up without him noticing? He couldn't call it sad or stupid...because he found it to be wholly appropriate for the situation. So he'd wait until it was clear that things couldn't go on like this for any longer, and thankfully that point seemed to be reached the moment they stepped out of Yuri's car.

"Ah, sorry for pushing you around so much."

"It's fine, really." Because even he had to admit that the variety of his clothes seemed to be lessening lately, the blonde usually wearing the same thing twice a week after washing it.

"Next time we'll buy you a suit."

"I really doubt there will ever really be a need for me to wear one again, so why?

"Well you never know, plus with me around it won't be staying on you long."

This made Flynn stop for a moment, a strange, indescribable look crossed his face before he fell back in step with the other male. There was something so very perverted, so very true and so very _Yuri_ about that statement, and for once he didn't feel uncomfortable after hearing it. Maybe it was because of the situation they were in, but it felt like it was come from a completely different place than usual. Like Yuri was teasing him for the sake of teasing.

Once inside his apartment Flynn made quick work of his new clothes, removing the tags and stickers before placing them in his dresser. After closing it he heard a small purr come from behind him, and upon turning his head he found Yuri sitting on his mattress with Aki on his lap, the multicolored kitten seemingly enjoying the way it's belly was being stroked.

"She's a girl." The comment caught him just as he was about to stand, the blonde taking a moment before walking over to the two of them.

"You can tell?" Crouching down he joined the old man in pleasing Aki, though he did flinch away slightly when their fingers touched.

"Well she doesn't have a dick, and everything down there is pretty close together, that made it easy to tell." Oh...well it wasn't like he made a habit of staring at the kitten's underside...The two of them stayed like that for a little bit, stroking Aki in various spots until she hopped out of the other's lap and went about her business.

"Ah...I should probably head home, Repede was giving me weird looks before I left." Who could really blame the dog for doing so? The blonde watch as the other male began to leave his room, deciding he'd give him some kind of head start being going after him.

He wasn't going to let him leave while in such a state...

After a few second he quickly got up, making his way out of his room and towards the door where Yuri was. Placing his hand on the other's he shut the door that had just been opened, the longer haired male looking up at him in confusion. Letting go of the door handle Yuri turned to face him, arms crossed and seemingly waiting for an explanation.

"...It's time to stop pretending, Yuri..." The older man looked surprised, and just as he was about to open his mouth to say something he quickly shut it. It only took a second for his features to completely relax, arms falling limply his side as his gaze directed itself downward.

"Ah...I really can't hide much from you, can I...?" He let out a hollow chuckle as he leaned against the door, "...Can I please just run away from this a little longer...?"

Flynn didn't say a word because he was sure that Yuri already knew the answer to it. He tried not to wince when the other's face momentarily twisted into pure discomfort and anguish, though he did flinch slightly when the longer haired male placed his forehead against his shoulder. Hesitantly he brought a hand up, stroking the other's hair gently as his other arm wrapped around his waist.

"I...really fucked up this time, Flynn..." His voice was muffled as he buried his face deeper into his shoulder, the blonde holding him tighter as a response.

"This is not your fault, Yuri...so don't-"

"O-Oh god Flynn...I-I..." It was a good thing he was holding onto his waist because the next thing he knew Yuri was on his way down to the ground, the blonde following him as the other male flat out collapsed.

"Y-Yuri-"

"I-I didn't want to fail at this, oh god, I can't fail at the _one_ thing I'm good at. Flynn, what am I supposed to do now? Flynn, oh god please, _Flynn_." The amount of pain he received from hearing his name said it in such a way was overwhelming, and the way the older man sobbed loudly against him made him feel so powerless.

What could he even say to him? It was rather clear that at the moment Yuri was too far gone to understand any kind of comforting words that he could utter, so it would seem the only thing he could do was hold him. He wasn't sure how long the two of them were on the floor, though mostly because whenever it seemed that Yuri was close to stopping he'd start back up again.

It wasn't like he minded though; he probably shouldn't have been absorbed in being so close to the other when he was so vulnerable, but he couldn't help it...because it was so different than all the other times when Yuri was teasing him. Burying his face in the older man's hair he began to rethink things, that maybe _this_ wasn't all that bad and that maybe...maybe it'll be okay for him to face the facts that had always been there.

In that moment Flynn made a decision.

Being so deep in though he barely registered that Yuri had finally calmed down, and upon looking down he found him asleep. It took some doing but he managed to haul him over to the couch, because there was no way he was dragging him all the way to his room. Because he didn't want Yuri leaving his apartment, heaven forbid he did something to harm himself, Flynn decided that he should probably fetch Repede.

It was a bit odd fishing around the other male's pocket to get his keys, but at least it didn't take long for him to locate them. He only hoped that Yuri didn't wake up and freak out upon finding out he had left, but he had a feeling the longer haired male would be out for a good while. But just in case he decided to go as quickly as he could. He took the bus to the older man's place, though he hadn't quite figured out how he was going to make his way back.

There was no way he could take the large dog on the bus and the walk back was a bit too far...so maybe if he pleaded hard enough with the bus driver he'd be allowed on. With a sigh he figured he'd deal with that issue when it came. Repede looked rather confused when he walked into the apartment by himself, and rightfully so. Crouching down he called him over, petting his head as he told him that his master needed him.

Before leaving he grabbed a bag of dog food, knowing that Repede probably wouldn't like eating cat food. Dealing with the bus was easier than he though, though it did cost him extra money and he still ended up begging. Once back he peeked into his apartment to find Yuri still asleep on the couch, the blonde gently closing the door behind him so as to not wake him.

Now he really wasn't sure what to do with the other male knocked out, so he merely seated himself in front of the couch, eyes instantly going to Yuri's face. Even in his sleep he looked so defeated, not at all like the relaxed and comfortable sleeping face he had three nights ago. Nothing in the longer haired male's life seems to be fair, from the way his parents treated him, his horrible high school experiences and his book being pulled because of his past works Flynn could completely understand why he seemed so unstable.

He deserved some kind of stability...and the blonde was willing to give that to him. Leaning back against the couch he decided he'd too would catch a few Z's, thankful that he didn't have afternoon classes that day. Fetching a blanket from his room he placed it over Yuri's sleeping body, taking his seat on the floor near the couch before trying his best to get into a comfortable position. Hardwood flooring wasn't the best place to sleep, but he really didn't want to leave the other male's side.

The couch wasn't at all big enough for the both of them to stretch out, so he'd made due. Flynn wasn't even aware of how tired he was until he closed his eyes, instantly drifting off before he knew it. He vaguely recalled coming to a few times, though not completely waking up. When he did finally awakened he found the television on illuminating the dark room, Flynn not having to glance over at the clock to know that it was late.

Shifting around a little he found a weight pressed against his right side, and in his groggy state he thought it might've been Repede. It was a good thing he decided to investigate rather than immediately shove whatever it was off of him; looking down he found Yuri curled up against his side, the blanket that had been covering him now draping over the both of them. He was clearly awake, as evident by the constantly changing channels and the soft mutter of 'there's nothing ever on'.

Looking down he hated to admit it, but...Yuri had never seemed so _small_ before. He wasn't talking in terms of height though, since the two of them were more or less on equal footing there. No...even if it was fake, there was always an air of confidence around him, but now with him so utterly defeated by the world it seemed all of that was a distant memory. The blonde was fully aware that he needed to be strong for the other male, and given this had pretty much been his role with his mother he really thought he could handle it with Yuri.

"Hey..." He muttered just enough to get the other male's attention, the response he received being a weak 'mhm' sound.

"...I'm sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't." When it seemed like the other male was going to say something that might've been an apology he quickly gripped his hand, "You didn't, Yuri..."

It was a few seconds before the longer haired male moved after that, though when he did Flynn had to remind himself not to tense up. Yuri had repositioned himself, the older man now sitting on his lap, arms wrapping loosely around his neck as he buried his face in the crook of his shoulder. As he hesitantly wrapped his arm around his waist, telling himself that there was no reason to waver because he had already made up his mind.

"Y-Yuri...um..."

It didn't make it any easier to say though...

"I-I can't really say it the same way you did, s-so I'll say this..." Taking a deep breath he tried to calm himself down, which was easier said than done, "L-Let...Let me be the stability you need in your life..."

Because he wasn't well versed in the ways of love Flynn actually wasn't sure if his words could be considered 'cheesy' or 'lame', but this didn't stop him from blushing so damn heard he feared a nose bleed. The other male was tense in his arm, hands coming to grip the back of his shirt tightly. The two of them stayed like that for a bit, and all the while the blonde couldn't help but worry that he'd be laughed at. It was an pretty legitimate fear to him, especially since he was sure the older man had written better confessions that that.

"...Flynn, I swear if you're just saying that to make me feel better, I will never fucking forgive you..."

"What? No! Of course not!"

Oh god if that's what Yuri thought he was trying to do. He knew his timing was pretty bad, but...he thought there was no better time to admit it then when the longer haired male was feeling like he was. He needed him and Flynn just wanted to tell him that he didn't have to worry about him going anywhere...When Yuri shifted against, this time leaning back so that the two of them were facing one another, he jumped a bit when he noticed the glare that was pointed in his direction.

"...Then say it to my face... _actually_ say it." Well shit... he had a hard enough time just saying what he had the first time! It didn't help that it appeared the older man was in a rather foul mood because of him, so he really had no choice in the matter.

Upon opening his mouth nothing came out, which was the worst possible thing that could've happened. Yuri looked _pissed_ , and if he didn't say the words that had been caught in the back of his throat soon it would be the end of everything. He didn't want the other male to think that he was just trying to make him feel better by saying what he thought he wanted to hear, no...he had genuinely come to the realization that Judith was ( _like always_ ) right about his feelings. So he tried again.

"I-I...I-I l-l-love you, Yuri." It was shaky as hell, though he was rather relieved that it had finally came out. It seemed to take a few seconds for the other male's features to relax, and when they did he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the blonde's chest.

"...You deserve so much better..."

"Yuri-"

"It's true...you're a great guy, and I hate to think I'm preventing you from actually dating someone worth your time...I'm just...I-I'm just-"

He had to stop this...he had stop Yuri from berating himself. The longer haired male was worth his time, every last second of it, and goddammit he would make sure he understood this. Gripping the other's shoulders tightly he pulled him away from his body, his mouth opening to say something before he quickly closed it. No...no words. Instead of speaking he leaned in, roughly pressing his lips against the other as he held him tight.

Yuri wasn't worthless...he wasn't the piece of trash he seemed to think he was. He hated it when the longer haired male became like this, because it stripped him of that carefree attitude Flynn admired so much. He was very well ware that the world liked to beat people down, that it could deal you a very cruel hand, but...if the two of them could support one another he felt that everything would be okay.

Slowly he pulled away, putting enough distance between the two of them so that he could see the other's face. Obviously the other male looked shocked, but when he saw the pools of tears form at the corners of his eyes Flynn began to wonder if he had done the right thing.

"I-I'm sorry Yuri, I didn't mean to make you cry, I-"

"No, don't apologize." The longer haired male smiled a bit before wiping the tears away before the fell, "I'm just really happy. Beyond happy in fact. I mean, I still feel like shit, but having you confess and mean it makes he feel so much better."

When Yuri smiles this time it was bright, and even if there was lingering sadness in his face the blonde was at least happy he could take some of it away. He watched as the other male leaned in, gently kissing him as he wrapped his arms around his neck once more. He instantly recognized this kiss; it was the one full of pure affection, something he was sure Yuri hadn't shown anyone in a long time.

Upon parting their eyes met, and it was in that moment that the blonde suddenly became rather nervous. It only took a couple of seconds before a deep blush spread across his cheek, a knot forming in his stomach as he diverted his eyes elsewhere. When asked what was wrong he tried replaying 'nothing', though with him stuttering it actually came out as 'n-n-nothin''. Even if he couldn't see it he could feel the other's smirk directed at him.

"You're so cute, Flynn."

"Y-You're not helping."

"I know."


	16. Shot Sixteen: Claws

"...Are you just going to keep staring?"

"N-No I...shit, just give me a minute."

"...Are you...nervous...? Holy shit...you're totally nervous."

As much as he wanted to deny that, there wasn't in way in hell for him to do so. The two of them had done this countless times, but Flynn knew...this time was different. Everything was different now that he and Yuri had begun dating, and every time he reminded himself of this things just didn't go his way. Flynn never saw himself as an awkward person since he had enough confidence to get him through the day, but when dating the longer haired male...he really couldn't control himself.

It was just so new for him...

He didn't regret it at all though, because to actually say those words out loud meant acknowledging them, and that was like removing a incredibly heavy weight from his body. Having it out in the open was much better than him denying it...but because it was out there it made things that much more real. He really wasn't sure how he should've been acting around the other now that they were dating, which pretty much led to him becoming probably the most awkward person in existence.

Because he feared for the other's safety he made him stay over at his place, and when the blonde left the house for school he went through great lengths to lock away everything he thought would harm the other. Yuri spent a majority of his time asleep, and as the hours ticked away Flynn always become a little uneasy. He figured it was because the longer haired male wasn't exactly in the highest of spirits, so he allowed it to happen, believe that at some point he'd bring himself out of his funk.

Of course he'd help him along, but it proved to be somewhat difficult when every little look the other male gave him sent his embarrassment through the roof. There were moments of clarity though; the blonde could easily recognize when Yuri wanted comfort and when he _needed_ comfort, both of which usually occurring throughout a single day. When he was just being his usual Yuri self he'd grab onto him, holding him so close to the point where Flynn couldn't help but blush hard.

But when the older man needed to comforted it always occurred silently, his body gently leaning itself against him in some way as his gazed cast itself downward. He hated that look...and truly tried to do everything within his power to make that look disappear from the other's face. It was pretty much how the two of them ended up on their first date, Flynn gently making the longer haired male look at him before uttering the words 'let's go out'.

The surprise on the other male's face was expected, but after physically leaving the house it became quite clear that his spontaneous burst of courage was just that. He was once again assaulted with wave after wave of awkwardness, especially since he hadn't actually planned anything out. To his slight surprise he found the longer haired male looking to be in worse shape then he was, curiosity getting the better of him. He really, really shouldn't have asked.

With a face just as brightly lit as his, the longer haired male told him that it would be his first date with anyone, Flynn paling a bit at his confession. He knew very well that it wasn't intentional, but Yuri had placed a shit load of pressure on him, something he hadn't worried about all that much in the past since it was usually the older man doing the cherry popping. It really didn't take long for panic to set in.

Of course he could've just had the two of them return to his apartment, but that meant becoming a coward and admitting that he had regretted his actions. He was sure that if he did so Yuri would undoubtedly believe that he was at fault. No...no he wasn't going to let that happen, not when the older man already seemed like he was seconds away from falling back into a dark place. So he decided to fight through what he felt even at the cost of looking like an idiot...and what an idiot he looked like.

It was pretty hard faking confidence when his goddamn body betrayed everything he said. Trying to act like the 'cool guy' only earned him a deeper blush on his face, and whenever he thought he'd gathered enough courage to say something he just ended up stuttering like a fool. On the upside his behavior seemed to make Yuri feel better, the longer haired male laughing a lot more then he had previously. It was a refreshing sight for sure, and this made his resolve to continue on with their date a bit stronger.

But after a while it became painfully clear that he had no idea what he was doing, so he crushed whatever little pride he had left and called someone who could help. It was sad to think that the only other person he knew in a relationship was Raven, and truthfully he was the last person he wanted to called. It was awkward as hell talking to the much older man about dating...

Even if in the end he received a decent answer, the conversation leading him to said answer was so _uncomfortable_ that he contemplated never speaking to Raven about his love life again. Yeah...that seemed like the best option. He at least didn't get the usual 'dinner and movie' spiel he had seen in movies; he was told to take the other dancing, and even if the blonde had two left feet he supposed that the points towards originality would overshadow his lack of rhythm.

The problem seemed to be where to go.

It seemed to be horribly inappropriate for their first date to be in a gay bar, or at least one as flamboyant as the one they usually attended. They were clearly not dressed for anything formal, so something casual and down to Earth seemed like the best bet. Thank god for internet on phones. It took some doing but he managed to find a nice place not too far from where they were, which was a good thing because he was sure Yuri was starting to wonder if he had any destination in mind.

The place was dimly light like the other club, but there weren't any strobing lights or frantic make-out sessions on the dance floor. There was of course music blaring over the loud speakers, though the blonde had gotten use to it after spending so much time over at the bar. He couldn't help but fidget slightly when he fell under the gaze of the older man, dark eyes looking him over before stopping to meet his.

With a not so faint blush on his face he admitted that the whole dancing thing wasn't really in his favor, but...he wanted their first date to be different. Before he could even process it his wrist was taken and the two of them were on the dance floor, Yuri leaning in close so that their faces were mere inches apart. He knew it was just Yuri was being Yuri, though he was also sure that the other male wanted to make sure he heard his voice over the loud music.

All he muttered was a small 'stupid, I don't care what we do' before taking his waist, Flynn trying his best to follow the other's steps as they danced to the music. Well...it was more like was he trying to mimic the other male's steps, which usually lead him to tripping, bump into someone or stepping on the Yuri's foot. Never once did the longer haired male get mad at him, though he did poke fun at him since, well, it was a pretty sad sight. He wasn't sure how long the two of them were dancing, and he really didn't care.

Just seeing Yuri happy was enough.

After a while though it became clear that they needed to leave, not because the two of them had been there for too long but because the older man's occasional grinding against him had begun to cause a rather...inappropriate reaction. At least inappropriate for the dance floor. Upon leaving the two of them engaged in several make out sessions along the way, earning a few odd glances from passerby's. He probably would've cared had he not been hot, sweaty and extremely turned on from dancing.

By the time they made it back to his apartment it was clear where things were going...But it didn't happen. It wasn't for some crazy reason like he couldn't get it up, he was just... _extremely_ nervous. He wanted to have sex, it was just that every time he came close to it he'd be reminded that the longer haired male wasn't just some guy anymore. _Yuri was his boyfriend now_. For a week he had denied the other anything sexual so he could sort himself out, and by the time he had it was clear he needed to get laid.

Luckily for him Yuri was already stretched out on his mattress, staring at his laptop with a blank Word document open in on the screen. He could only imagine how much he was beating himself up over everything, because no matter how much Flynn thought he could understand the other male's pain it was probably only a fraction of what he actually felt. But it was the blonde's job to take care of it, if only a little.

Seating himself next to the older man he placed his hand on his back, gently rubbing it back and forth as Yuri arching up a bit to meet his touch. Moving his hand down a but more, he caressed the exposed skin on his lower back, the longer haired male rocking a bit against his hand before he brought himself up to a sitting position. Placing his laptop on the floor first, he turned around, arms coming to wrap themselves loosely around his neck before pressing his lips against his.

Wasting no time he pressed the other male against the mattress, enjoying the way Yuri clung to him as he deepened the kiss. Reaching up he ran his hand down the other's neck, thumb briefly running itself over his Adam's apple before his digits slid further. They easily found their way under the other male's shirt, gently running along his stomach before making their way higher. It only took a slight touch of the other male's nipple to have him moan into his mouth, the older man parting to tell him to remove his clothes.

Flynn happily did so.

Their kissing became frantic and sloppy every time an article of clothing was removed, the two of them parting every now and then for air and whenever a shirt needed to be removed. When they finally did remove their lips from one another for longer than a second the blonde instantly regretted it; when he caught sight of the other male panting heavily, face dyed in a deep shade of red as he bit down on his bottom lip slightly, Flynn outright stopped any action he was doing. It didn't help at all that when the other male figured out what was wrong with him he didn't stop snickering.

"Seriously though, how many times have we done this? You're getting all shy _now_?"

"I-I know, I know...it's just...different this time." When the longer haired male gave him an odd look he felt inclined to keep speaking, "You're not just some guy who's apartment I'm staying at anymore...you're my b-b-boy-boy-"

Oh god, he really couldn't say it, he could sure as hell think it but not say it out loud. His face was burning red, and he was damn sure it had spread to not only his ears but down his neck. Flynn really, really wanted to go crawl into a corner and weep, anything that would kill the colossal amount of embarrassment he felt. But at least it seemed he wasn't the only one feeling this.

"Shit...I would've been okay with anything _but_ that." He watched as the other male turned his face away, it equally as bright as his.

"S-Sorry, I-"

"Don't apologize...it's just that you reminded me that this would be my first time having sex while in a relationship." And there it was again. He was sure that it was completely unintentional of the other to place so much pressure on him, but it had happened, and Flynn really began to question his ability to perform.

That wasn't good...but before he began to panic he took a breath and tried to calm himself down. This time things were different, he'd make sure of that, and wasn't that enough? Wasn't it enough that he was about to experience something that not even _Yuri_ had? Before his reasoning was trumped by some kind of counterargument he leaned down, making the longer haired male look at him before gently pressing his lips against his once more. He didn't add anymore pressure than that, just the light, feathery touch was enough.

Yuri did the same, meeting him half way with an equally as soft touch as his grip on his shirt lessened. He moved his hands, placing them on his bare shoulders before slowly running them down his chest. Before they caressed past his navel, he stopped the other male by taking his wrist.

"Let's takes it slow..." The older man looked surprised at first, but it soon melted away and he was given a small nod of understanding. So the two of them took it slow.

They keep up their gently kissing for a bit longer, a complete one-eighty from their frantic, sloppy actions not too long ago. Bringing his hand up he ran his thumb over Yuri's jaw line, caressing it leisurely before moving down a bit further. Since he seemed to like it the last time the sole digit ran itself along his Adam's apple, creating small circles as he parted from the other.

He didn't stay away long, kissing his way down and stopping at the other male's neck. With his thumb still at work he licked at the other male's jugular, placing small kisses here and there before giving it a small nip. The longer haired male squirmed underneath him, soft sighs passing his lips as he turned his head, fingers coming to thread themselves through his blonde locks.

"Lower..." His voice was so low as he nudged his head slightly, though before actually complying with the other wishes he made sure he left a mark on the other's neck. He received a muffled moan for his efforts.

Flynn was well aware that the longer haired male wasn't necessarily the most patient person when he was turned on, but he'd have to be, because the blonde in no way wanted to rush this. The two of them were going to experience this as if it were their first time together, and if he could make Yuri feel like that then he was sure he'd get a much needed confidence boot.

He did much the same to the other male's collarbone that he had with his neck, though because he knew the other was much more sensitive in said area he nipped a bit hard. In all honesty it was the first time he had ever heard the older man whimper, the sound momentarily halting his actions due to shock. It didn't take long for him to gather himself again, though he'd willing admit that he was feeling a bit giddy because of it.

Descending a bit further he gently ran his lips against the other's exposed skin, tongue darting out every now and then to tease the other. The longer haired male was already panting, which was pretty damn fascinating since he hadn't even moved to his lower half yet. Flynn couldn't help but smile to himself as he took Yuri's life nipple into his mouth, his fingers working on the other as he lightly bit down.

With another small moan the other male tried to press his body flush against his, probably trying to get some kind of friction against his no doubt throbbing member. He didn't let that happen. Taking his free hand he gently forced the other back down against the mattress, earning him a small groan from the other male.

"C-Come on, stop teasing me..."

"Just hang on for a little bit."

The longer haired male just whined again, the action once again taking him by surprise. It was just...god he really couldn't believe he was the one making him sound like that. To hide his blush he buried his face back into the other's chest, continuing on with his unhurried pace because he'd be damned if he let this moment pass without him achieving his goal. Yuri jerked a bit when he nipped at him, though he didn't get too far since he was holding him down.

Removing his mouth he placed it over the longer haired male's right nipple, mimicking the movements he had done with the other.

"I-I'm not a chick, so move on already." Flynn couldn't help but chuckle a bit at this.

"No, you're not, but that doesn't mean you're not sensitive here." To further prove his point he gave the longer haired male's nipple a good nip, Yuri bucking a bit before letting out a small moan. He half expected the older man to retaliate in some matter, but instead he just pulled him closer, fingers running themselves over his shoulders and back.

The move caused him to shiver slightly, though he continued with his actions, gently sucking on the piece of if flesh between his lips. The blonde managed to catch the moan that threatened to leave his throat when Yuri touched the back of his neck, and he knew damn well it was intentional. The other male would be a damn liar if he said he wasn't aware that said spot turned him on, especially since he usually attacked it whenever he decided to do him from behind.

He was not going to let his arousal get to him...that much.

There was no way to ignore the painful stiffness between his legs, but instead of focusing on it and the fact that _he wanted to come so goddamn badly_ the blonde put all of his attention into making the other squirm below him. Releasing the numb he finally moved down, only stopping when he made his way past the other's navel and erection. This earned him an odd look from Yuri, though he ignored it for the most part since he knew what he was doing.

Instead of addressing the older man's confusion he merely spread his legs wider, mouth going in to lick then suck on the longer haired male's inner thigh. This time he actually allowed him to buck his hips, the blonde watching Yuri gripped the sheet below them. He managed to pull another whimper from his lips when he came close to touching his hardened dick, but he made sure never to so much as grace it with his mouth. Was it a little cruel? Maybe...but he dared Yuri to tell him that it didn't feel good.

It took some doing but he managed to find out where the other male's sweet spots were, the sound of his moans escalating a clear sign that he had located them. When moving on to the other leg it didn't take much for Flynn to figure out that if he messed around with the same spots he'd get the same response, though he did discover a few new places that weren't on the other leg to play with.

"S-Shit..." The blonde actually wasn't expecting Yuri to sit up, or for that matter to be push back onto his elbows by the other man.

"Yuri-"

"I-If I look like a cheetah down there tomorrow, I'm so killing you." Flynn stared before allowing a small chuckle escape his lips, "And I wanna do _something_ other than lie around."

Before the blonde could say anything Yuri was already making his way down his stomach, but when he paused Flynn couldn't help but tense. He didn't know what the other male was thinking as he looked at the scar on his stomach, wondering if he was thinking back to that horrible day. Hell, Flynn could barely look at the scars he had received from his mother, because it reminded him how embarrassingly naïve he had been about his mother's condition.

His tenseness was dropped when he felt the other male gently press his lips against it, a small smile tugging at his lips before it fading away. Reaching down he slowly ran his thumb over the now gone scar that had been on the other's cheek, knowing full well that even if it was no longer there Flynn still held regret in his heart. When Yuri looked up at him, eyes filled with a knowing look, he knew immediately that he should drop whatever was plaguing his mind.

Yuri had the uncanny ability to know what he was thinking, though his talent usually stemmed as far as knowing when he was feeling sorry about something that might not have been his fault or beating himself up. That look stopped the words 'I'm sorry' from slipping out of his mouth, the longer haired male raising back up to look intently into his eyes.

"...Don't..." It was all Yuri said before kissing him hard, the action causing him to give off a small, surprised moan before abandoning his previous thinking. He barely registered that the older man had moved away from his top half, his daze being broken the moment he felt wetness against his dick.

Jumping at the sensation he finally brought his gaze downward, watching as the other male slipped his bangs behind his ear before going to lick his tip again. Flynn watched as the other tongue slowly slid down to the base of his shaft, his mouth giving it a few teasing lick before his lips clammed down on it. The blonde shook and moaned as his skin was sucked, the older man giving a few teasing nips in between moving his mouth along the side of his cock. God it felt good...but he needed to place the other on equal footing with himself.

As good as being touched felt, it was clear that Yuri had the advantage, and given how turned on he seemed the longer haired male probably would not hesitate to use said advantage to make him come swiftly. So while his mind was still lucid he leaned forward a bit, hand coming to rest itself on Yuri's lower back. He made sure not to linger there for too long, palm coming to press gentle circles around his sensitive skin before moving on to it's true destination.

He wasn't going to lie and say that he didn't enjoy the sound the other male made when he gripped his right ass cheek, his body lurching upward as he moaned against his cock. Massaging the soft area he watched as Yuri squeezed his eyes tight, seeming to hesitate a bit before completely engulfing his hardened flesh with his mouth. The blonde groaned loudly from this, hand clinching at the other's backside even harder as a result.

Flynn needed a moment to recover from the feeling, and it was in those few moments that he noticed just how fast the longer haired male was bobbing his head. Yuri was taking as much as he could each time, using his hand to stroke whatever he couldn't hit in his mouth. Flynn needed to slow him down. Removing his hand from the his backside he slipped his fingers between his cheeks, his middle and index coming to rub the longer haired male's puckered hole.

This effectively stopped the other's furious sucking, though the vibration of the other male moaning against his dick caused him to inadvertently moan as well. Yuri seemed to get the idea, slowing down his bobbing quite a bit as a result, removing his mouth every now and then to lick and nip at his shaft. At this point in time Flynn didn't bother holding back his moans, enjoying the way the longer haired male's talented mouth performed on his member like it was the greatest thing in the world. Well...maybe to him it was.

He didn't let up on playing with the other's hole; he really had no intention of actually penetrating the older man, though when he began spread him open things started to change. Releasing his dick from his mouth Yuri moaned into the air, panting as a small 'a-ah' stumbled out of his mouth.

"S-Shit, Flynn, just...f-fuck, enough teasing." Since it was already close enough to that point he figured that it was alright to further his movements. Denying the longer haired male anymore when he was pretty much begging would only lead to misfortune on his part after everything was said and done...

Flynn wasted no time locating his long discarded pants, reaching into one of the side pockets where he pulled out two small packets of lube. His rational mind told him that if the old man was going to stay with him he needed to stock up on a few things, while his more perverse side told him that keeping said things on him at all times would work in his favor because spontaneous sex did happen. Imagine his surprise when he found out that the grocery store sold a box of small, individually wrapped packets of lubricant.

Ripping the packets open with his mouth he squeezed the cool gel onto one of his hands, his now moist fingers coming to run themselves down the longer haired male's back. Yuri shivered at his touch, neglecting the hardened member in front of him in favor of moaning and arching into his touch. He really didn't mind the lack of stimulation on his part, since he was sure the longer haired male wouldn't stay away from long.

Once again he slipped his fingers between the older man's cheeks, index finger probing at his hole a bit before he slowly slide it in. He probably shouldn't have been so surprised at how tight the other was, especially since it had been a while for the both of them. Yuri looked as if he was trying his damn hardest not to make any kind of pained sound, but his face betrayed his efforts. He hated seeing the other in pain...but this needed to be done.

To make things a little easier on him Flynn scrapped the tip of his digit along the other male's prostate, Yuri lurching forward as he let out a loud moan against his cock. This seemed to remind him that there was something in front of him that demanded his attention, the longer haired male hesitating a bit before taking his tip into his mouth. The blonde moaned as the other male gave his dick an extra hard suck, the sensation slightly intensified by the fact that Yuri's lips were trembling.

His whole body was trembling, the older man looking as if he was trying to keep it together as his now two fingers moved in unison to loosen him up. With the movements Flynn was making inside of him, scissoring, rubbing and teasing his entrance every now and then, it really didn't take long for Yuri's hand to dart behind him, grabbing onto his wrist to halt him.

"S-Shit..." His voice sounded strained, the longer haired male taking a moment before he looking up at him, "P-Please...Flynn."

Thank god for control...because the sight of Yuri's slightly parted lips pressed gently against his cock, hot breath coming out to ghost itself over his sensitive skin...he really could've come right there. With a small nod and a flushed face he removed his fingers, the two of them repositioning themselves against the messy sheets of his mattress. The longer haired male was underneath him, arms coming up to pull him close as the two of them wasted no time connecting their lips together. It was slow and desperate and _fuck_...

Reaching between the two of them he grasped his cock, guiding it toward the longer haired male's hole where he slowly began to enter. As much as he wanted to shove all of himself into Yuri's body, his little session with his fingers had given him one piece of very valuable information: the other male was going to be _tight_. Slow was the only thing he could do, for both of their sakes. The both of them tensed when he had finally managed to inch his tip inside of him, the older man clinging onto him for dear life as he moaned against his lips.

Flynn had taken to grabbing the sheets near Yuri's head, trying his best to no come from having such a small part of himself in the other.

"F-Fuck, Flynn...just put all of it in already."

"D-Don't wanna," The blonde clinched the sheet a bit more as he moaned, trying his best to compose himself before he decided to speak again, "I-I don't wanna hurt you."

Yuri just stared at him, a look of utter surprise crossing his features. He was about to ask if he had said something strange, but before he could the longer haired male had pulled him down into a hard lip-lock. Flynn took this time to inch his way a bit more into him, a little confused about the other's sudden actions. Not that he minded.

"T-This is...way too surreal..." Before the words 'what are you talking about?' slipped between his lips he felt Yuri's nails harshly run themselves down his back, a clear sign that he needed to keep his mouth shut. Winching a bit he did just that, opting out to instead finally push himself all the way into him.

 _Fuck_...it felt good, it felt so goddamn good...Why hadn't he done this sooner? Why had he hesitated when he should've been remembering all the times he had fucked the other? Oh right...He was sure his already flushed face had gotten several shades darker upon remembering the reason for his prior hesitation. Before he could even fathom freezing up he began to move his hips, not as slowly as he had when entering him but still slow enough so that the longer haired male could get accustomed to him.

Even if he was lacking in vigor, it didn't seem to irritate the longer haired male, in fact Yuri seemed to be completely absorbed by it. His eyes were closed, body moving against his as he gripped his shoulders. The blonde probably wouldn't have thought much about the placement of his hands had the longer haired male's fingers not grazed his other scar, his body tensing a bit as a result. The older man's fingers were gentle as they traced the length of the mark.

"Why do you keep-?"

"Because it's p-proof that you're alive." Flynn didn't get a chance to say anything else because his mouth was too busy being invaded by the other male's tongue. And Yuri said he had a way with words...

He smiled a bit a this, hips rocking somewhat faster as he wrestled around with the longer haired male's tongue. It was rather hard for him to keep up such an deep, unhurried, even rhythm, though it did allow him to completely bury himself in the other before pulling out. Yuri's nails began to scratch across his skin again, this time around though it felt completely non-threatening.

When their lips parted he pressed his forehead head against the other male's, biting his bottom lip a bit as he began to feel the last little bits of self-control he had left start to leave him. After a few sloppily placed thrusts it seemed the longer haired male began catching on that something was off. When he was told to 'not hold back anymore' Flynn contemplated telling the other that just a little more would be okay, but from the look Yuri was giving him he wasn't asking...

Fuck it, it had been long enough...

Reaching down he lifted Yuri's leg slightly, just enough to get the right angle he needed before pulling out. The blonde slammed himself back in, hitting the longer haired male's prostate dead on and in such a way that it made the older man's body pressed flush against his. He moaned loudly as he gripped him tighter, whimpering out his name as the blonde did it again.

Yuri was still so damn tight around him, the blonde having to distract himself by assaulting the other's neck, nipping hard to make sure he left a sufficient hicky. One of the longer haired male's hands had come up to grip his hair, forcing him into another rough kiss. Tongues battled once again as Yuri's legs wrapped themselves around his lower back, pulling his lower half closer. Even if his movements were much more shallow now, he could still thrust in just as hard...which was probably what the other male wanted.

What Yuri wanted Yuri got...but two could play at that game too. It took some doing since the other male's body was pressed tightly between them, but he managed to snake his hand around the Yuri's rock hard erection. The action caused the older man to let out a strangled moan, the sudden sensation of the his muscles tensing around him making Flynn to do the same. Okay, not exactly the outcome he had wanted, but close enough.

He stroked the other in the same manner as his thrusts: rough and hitting all the right spots. Yuri's mouth was slack as he moaned loudly without any sort of discretion, the blonde briefly wondering if his neighbors would complain...The mere thought of that was exciting. Speeding up once more he bit down a bit harder on the other male's neck than he had wanted, tongue picking up on a mix of salty sweat and the bitter, metallic tinge of blood. He was at least relieved to see that the bite was shallow, though this didn't stop him from licking it in an apologetic manner.

He'd definitely pay for that later. Flynn was becoming drunk off of the other's way of saying his name, it sounding so needy and lust filled the blonde just wanted to go harder, _faster_ , _**deeper**_.

"F-Flynn, _Flynn_..." It was like music to his goddamn ears, the blonde pounding into the other's tight hole with so much force he actually feared that Yuri might break. But Yuri wasn't trying to stop him, so he pushed his worry to the back of his mind.

He didn't want this to end...this perfect little moment where they didn't have to worry about the problems the real world had pushed upon them. Right now it was just the two of them in a moment of passion; sweat glistened bodies pressing together as sloppy, wet sounds of flesh slapping against flesh echoed throughout his room. Fingers clinched and grabbed and scratched and stroked, heated lips tangling together to add more flames to the fire...it was just too damn perfect.

But the moment he felt the other seize against him, gripping him hard as he cried out his name, it was clear that things were indeed ending. After a few more thrusts he could no longer take the longer haired male's tightness, Flynn letting out a long moan as he spilled his seed inside the other. His orgasm was intense, curse after curse slipping out of his mouth as he buried his face in the crook of the other's neck.

When they both collapsed against the mattress everything was blurry, Flynn taking a moment to gather himself as his body rod one aftershock wave after another. Shakily he pulled out of Yuri and rolled off of him, placing an arm over his eyes as he tried to calm his breathing. He didn't move when he felt the weight shift on the lone mattress on the floor, though he did kiss the other back when he felt lips against his. Yuri lied against his chest, the blonde wrapped his free arm around him as their ragged breathing became the only sound that filled the air.

Flynn wasn't all that surprised when he fell asleep, and it was probably the most comfortable sleep he had gotten in a long time. It did surprise him when he regained partial consciousness only to find Yuri gone. He didn't panic though, the smell in the air telling him that the other was in the kitchen. After taking his time to get up the blonde went about locating his clothes, though when he couldn't find his shirt he decided to retrieve one from his dresser. He was tried as all hell...but it was a good kind of tired.

The blonde stretched a bit as he left his room, Aki coming up to rub herself against his leg as he made his way into the kitchen. Slipping into one of the chairs at the small table, he watched the other male's back as he prepared whatever the two of them would be having for dinner. His hair was tied back in a ponytail, like usual whenever he cooked, the sight of his weight switching from one foot to the other every few seconds slightly amusing since he was the clear cause of it.

"You know, most people would've come up and embraced me from behind." Even with the quick glance from over his shoulder, Flynn could clearly see the other smirking at him.

"Ah, sorry, I'm still a newbie to this whole thing." It was probably only the third time he had admitted that he was inexperienced with something, the first being when the two of the had just met, the second being when he admitted he had no idea how to deal with love because no one had ever confessed to him and this moment.

With a small shrug Yuri went back to whatever he was making, the blonde enjoying the chopping sound that had been so very absent prior to the other male's arrival. Wait...chopping required sharp utensils, and Flynn was damn sure he had hidden them all because of the other's depressed state. It was probably wrong of him to assume that Yuri would try to take his life, but he just seemed so...so unlike himself to the point that is scared him.

"Y-Yuri, um, those knives-"

"You're really bad with hiding things, especially in an apartment this small." Flynn really couldn't tell Yuri that he was wrong since the other male had proven his point, so he bit back anything that would make him look stupid.

"I just...I'm just worried..." He wasn't really concerned about saying those words, he was more so concerned about how Yuri was going to take them.

"...I know...and I'm not going to lie..." The sound of metal against wood slowly began to lessen until it was no more, "I've been thinking about it recently...because some days I really don't want to deal with this shit anymore. And the only thing stopping me from offing myself is the reality that I'd be leaving you, Judith, Raven, Duke and everyone else to deal with my choice..."

Flynn just sat there, unsure what he should've been doing or saying in the moment because he didn't want to ruin those last few words the other male had said. For a little while he began to be concerned that Yuri was becoming dependent on him...a bit _too_ dependent for his liking. Yuri needed him...but that need sometimes scared him because of the huge burden that was being placed upon him and him alone. It was as if...he was the only thing that really mattered in the longer haired male's world...and that made him question the legitimacy of his feelings towards him.

He didn't want Yuri to like him just because he provided emotional support...

But that little statement made his fears diminish, if not outright disappear. Yuri had acknowledged that there were other people in his life, other people who mattered to him other than the blonde who had only known him for a short while in comparison to the others. Flynn was what Yuri needed, but what he had needed was not a crutch to support himself on. What the longer haired male needed was someone to give him a small nudge whenever he started to stray from his path, someone he saw as an equal and not just a shoulder to cry on.

Flynn had seen it in his eyes...the sheer determination that showed that the older man could stand on his own two legs, and he _would_ eventually. This momentary lapse in what confidence he did have would pass, and the blonde would watch as he picked himself back up and fought for the joy that was so wrongfully taken from him. Flynn in turn would try his best to be someone the other could rely on. With this understanding he removed himself from his seat, walking over to stand beside, _not_ behind, the longer haired male.

"Ah, sorry...I sound all depressing and shit..."

"No, it's completely okay...House rules, right? You have to be honest." The other male quickly turned his head in his direction, face full of surprise as he stared for a moment. However, it didn't take long for a small smile to grace his lips.

"...You seriously remember that?"

"Of course."

When his smile broadened the blonde knew everything was going to be okay, and it wasn't just him being presumptuous. Yuri had admitted that he himself had called the police after slitting his wrists, meaning that he not only regretted his actions but figured out that his life wasn't worth wasting. Flynn refused to believe that aspect of older man had changed with time...

"You're so weird." Even with the small insult the smile on his face still remained, Flynn in turn doing the same.

"I guess I am." He was rather proud of himself for holding a conversation with the older man for that long without blushing...but then he really caught sight of the other's smile and he just couldn't help himself.

"Oh and..." Flynn watched as he other male walked over to the refrigerator, reaching into the small freezer at the top to pull out a frozen dinner, "Your dinner."

"Um...what about all of this...?" He motioned to the various things cooking on the stove and what the other male had been chopping up. Instead of answering Yuri just pulled down the collar of his shirt, correction, _the blonde's_ shirt to show the bite make that he had left there.

"Payback."

He would gladly wait for the moment Yuri launched his counterattack...because Flynn had learned that one does not simple screw with the longer haired male and come out unscathed.

Yuri Lowell had claws and would use them in due time.


	17. Shot Seventeen: Thank You

Having watched Yuri in court was a true spectacle, because never once did the older man look to be out of place. The longer haired male hadn't been like him, hadn't been tense or lacking in confidence when it came to the subject at hand. No...Yuri had been so in his element that it was somewhat terrifying.

He had to suffer having to watch the other male wallow in self-pity first before actually getting to that point, and Flynn could easily say it was the hardest month of his life. He wanted so badly to do something, to forcible remove the other from his state when things seemed its bleakest. But that wasn't going to work. Flynn was well aware that the words he had said in the mall shouldn't have left his lips, because they had done more damage than good.

So he kept his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted to do was make things worse when he was only trying to encourage the other. Flynn made it a habit to at least get Yuri out of the house, which was rather easy when he promised to pay for everything. Of course he was nervous whenever the two of them would leave the apartment together, but as days went by he became far less embarrassed with the idea of dating the longer haired male.

When it came to affection in public he had at least gone so far as to hold the other male's hand, but of course he had managed to screw that up the first few times. The first attempt landed him with just holding into the other male's pinky, which wasn't so bad and Yuri seemed to like it. The second attempt, however...was a bit silly. His grabbing was a bit premature and he ended up just taking all of Yuri's fingers, earning him an odd look from the other male.

It was so embarrassing...so much in fact that he damn near threw out the whole idea of them holding hands. Eventually Yuri became fed up with the lack of development and outright grabbed his hand when the two of them were side by side, stating that he could be patient with some things about him but not all. He could understand that...even Flynn himself became frustrated with how little progress he made sometimes. But dammit if he didn't try.

The blonde's waiting game came to an end when he walk into his apartment one day, the sound of furious typing filling the air. Peeking into his room he found the longer haired male sitting upright on his mattress, blanket wrapped around him as his fingers swiftly tapped against the keys of his laptop. Flynn knew that look...Yuri was in the zone, and he'd be a damn fool to break that kind of concentration. So he just left quietly, spending most of his time in the living room.

The older man spent three whole days in his room, only coming out to make himself a cup of coffee or use the bathroom. On the third day Flynn did become a little concerned, though he was rather relieved other male voluntarily made himself stop typing like a maniac. Apparently he wasn't just working on his next book, but corresponding with a lawyer about his situation. He most definitely had a case, Flynn was just worried about the whole process in general.

Yuri wasn't the kind of person to make a big deal out of things (or at least things that mattered), and he was sure the court process was going to get some kind of media coverage. Would the longer haired male be okay with that...? He didn't bring up his worries because for the first time in a while it looked as if the older man had gotten his spark back. For a good few days Yuri had left his apartment in order to sort a few things out before his court date, and all the while a rather harsh sense of lonely washed over the blonde.

It was a little scary...He was use to being in his apartment alone, hell, he had spent a month away from Yuri after moving in. But...he supposed it wasn't exactly fair to compared the two. During that month Flynn was still sorting out his feelings, so he really wasn't sure what to make of anything. Now that he had, the blonde just wanted the longer haired male around, and even if he knew he'd return in the evening it didn't seem to curb his loneliness.

In short, Flynn decided he really needed to get the fuck out of his apartment after his classes were over.

He needed to have a social life outside of Yuri, so when he finally decided to hang out with his friends from class he fully understood their confusion. The blonde had never been a social butterfly, and social situations with friends were a somewhat foreign concept to him. He wasn't actually sure if hanging out with Estelle and Rita counted a 'social', because they were the only people outside of Yuri that he spent time with. But he was in college now...and as the longer haired male said 'there's no life to be had staying in on a Friday night'.

So when invited to one of the many Friday night parties that happened on campus he agreed...and was so absolutely bored out of his mind. What the hell was so fun about listening to loud, terrible music, watching his friends commit drunken antics and having to put up with chatty girls talking about how much they hate their major? There was something so very wrong with the universe if this was what was considered 'fun' in college...

But he powered through it, because he figured that things would gradually get better and if not he would resign himself to being a masochist for willingly spending time around such madness. He spent _twenty minutes_ listening to the not-so-sober girl next to him, a fake smile plastered on his face as he nodded at everything she said no matter what it was. After a little while she was shooed away by another, much more sober, girl, who said she had seen him around campus a few times.

That was entirely possible given that most freshmen gathered in the same areas, though he was sure he himself has never seen her before. When asked what his major was he meekly told her that he wasn't sure yet, though he added that he had quite a bit of time to think about it. Even if that was true he still feared that he would never come to a conclusion...never figure out what he would do with his life. The blonde listened on, though it was becoming painfully clear that their conversation was heading in a direction he was in no way comfortable with.

Flynn knew very well when someone was flirting with him, and the girl was laying it on pretty damn thick. Somewhere along the way she had perked up her already exposed cleavage, and all the while he had to wonder if she was cold and if he should tell her to retrieve some kind of sweater or jacket. Flynn didn't know what was more humorous: the fact that he was completely ignoring all of her tactics or the fact that she was trying so hard.

When she leaned in and kissed him his body tensed up, not because of the action itself but because she tasted like cheap booze. He wanted to laugh so badly when she asked if he wanted to 'go back to her place', but he managed to keep himself together and reply that it wasn't possible since she had 'the wrong equipment'. The poor girl was rather confused by his words, though after a while it became clear that the realization of what he meant had hit her like a ton of bricks.

She apologized profusely before quickly leaving, the blonde deciding that it was probably time to take his leave as well. That had been the final straw, and with little to no regrets he left his friends behind in favor of returning to his apartment. Flynn was fairly sure that would be his first and very last college party. Upon making it back he plopped onto the couch, slinging his arm around his eyes as he let out a tired sigh.

He has been told that when people like himself, the study hard and strict on themselves types, went off to college would they let loose and become party animals. It had something to do with being away from home for the first time, though he had to wonder if he was the exception because his 'home' hadn't actually felt like one for a long time. The blonde had experienced the world quite differently than most, which was probably the reason he seemed to be the irregularity in the equation that was 'typical' college life.

Flynn didn't see too much wrong with this, though he was sure he'd end up alienating himself from his party hard friends. He didn't move when he heard footsteps throughout the apartment, though he did remove his arm from his face when something wet fell onto him. Upon looking up he found Yuri looming over him, damp hair blocking out the some of the light as droplets dripped against the blonde's face. Before the older man could say anything he pulled him down by his shoulder, quickly pressing his lips against his, enjoying the fact that he tasted of spearmint.

It was much better than cheap booze.

Licking his lips the longer haired male asked what the occasion was for kissing him, Flynn admitting that he had been kissed by another. This earned him a suspicious look from the other, so he made sure to quickly explain that the girl was obviously barking up the wrong tree. This seemed to relieve the other of any uncertainties, though for some reason he enjoyed the sight of Yuri momentarily jealous. It was such a strange thing to imagine...the other male getting slightly flustered over the thought of him being kissed by another.

He never really thought of the other male as the jealous type, though he figured that because this was Yuri's first relationship he'd be a little cautious. He wouldn't lie...it made him excited...Of course this didn't mean he went out of his way to make the other act in such a manner, no, that would've been cruel. But if it happened randomly he wouldn't hesitate to glance over at the longer haired male, wondering just what was going through his head while smiling a bit at his expression.

When Yuri's trial date finally came the blonde couldn't help but feel nervous about everything, though it would seem he was the only one. The other male was completely composed, donning pretty much the same attire when he had attending prom. Flynn really didn't understand why he seemed so calm, but he was at least glad that fire in his eyes had returned. He just truly wished that it wouldn't be extinguished again by whatever happened in court.

When the proceedings began he learned that the longer haired male was there for two reasons: one to sue for discrimination and two to have the rights of his book returned to him. Those rights were initially given up to the company the moment his book was published, and if he wanted to take his business elsewhere he needed that back. Flynn watched from the gallery as his hands clinched anxiously at his pants; he knew he should've trusted that the other male knew what he was doing, but...the stakes were so high.

But he truly had nothing to worry about. They were in court for three whole hours, and all the while he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. The defense questioned Yuri thoroughly, trying to make the point that the company did not violate any sort of law by firing the longer haired male because of the content of his previous writings. Flynn really should've known that he was in for a crazy ride from the fact that Yuri hadn't stopped smirking after taking the stand.

The older man countered every argument with his own flawless logic and truth, seemingly throwing the opposing lawyer off his game. The lawyer said that it was a rightful discharge, Yuri had told them right back that it would've been _if_ the publishing company had not known about the books under his alias. But they had known. Flynn had to wonder if the longer haired male has ever considered a job in law, because he was doing more than just holding his own...he was destroying everything in his path.

When recess was called he noticed Yuri speaking to the head of the company he had been dropped from, only managing to make out a few words such as 'bad press' and 'reputation'. Whatever it meant the man looked white as a sheet, his lawyer behind him speaking though it seemed he wasn't listening. Yuri was surly going in for the kill...and he was right. Three days after the court proceeding the blonde found it rather odd that the other male wasn't getting ready to go back, and it was in that moment that he leaned why the other wasn't bothering and why he seemed so damn happy.

Both he and the publishing company had decided on an out of court settlement, Yuri fueling this decision with a little talk about how he would turn the incident into a pretty damn big deal. The idea of a decent sized company such as that getting bad press would ruin what credit they had, because who really wanted to work for someone who had unjustly fired an employee because of their sexual preferences? The media would be in a frenzy. In the end he was given an undisclosed amount of money (he wouldn't tell him how much) and the rights to his book back.

That all happened three years ago.

Over the course of those years things hadn't changed all that much; Yuri was still Yuri, spending an ungodly amount of time on the his computer so he could get his next book done. It still lied in his hands to force the older man to take a break so he didn't keel over from exhaustion. The blonde was still in school, deciding that if he wanted to do what he wanted a four year degree was the first step.

It became clear some time ago that because of his lack of understand of his mother's illness he couldn't truly help her...so he decided that maybe that's where his future lied. It would be a long road until he was a full fledged psychologist, but it was time he was willing to put in. The longer haired male had teased him about how much of a 'hot doctor' he'd be, his words sending him into a laughing fit as a result. He had some pretty weird fetishes.

Estelle and Rita still kept in touch even after they had moved away, the three of them deciding to meet once a month to socialize and hang out so that they didn't drift apart too quickly. Judith still worked at the bar, though she had been promoted to head barkeep which was something she was rather pleased with. Raven dropped by on occasion with Duke to see how the two of them were doing, Flynn having found his insistent mother hen attitude towards him to be less annoying and more commendable than anything else.

"Coffee. Make it. Now."

"I know you're tired, but-"

"Coffeeeeee."

He probably should've known better than to reason with a half cocked Yuri who had only gotten two hours of sleep. With a halfhearted sigh he made his way into the kitchen, wondering if he should forgo the coffee and just force the other male to sleep. The only reason he was up was because they had somewhere to be, and he kind of wished he had made his decision at a time when the other male wasn't so busy. But he agreed to come with him nonetheless.

Upon looking in the cabinets he found that they were completely out coffee, though he had no reason to panic. After having dealt with such a situation before Flynn made it a habit to buy premade, chilled coffee in case of emergencies, because the last thing he wanted to deal with was a caffeine deprived Yuri. It was truly a scary thing. After retrieving a bottle from the fridge, he placed it in font of the older male who currently had his head down at the kitchen table. He looked so pitiful, which made the blonde feel even more guilty.

"You know..." He started as he sat down across from Yuri, "You don't have to come..."

"Doesn't matter, going anyways." It took a bit of doing, but when his fingers grasped his cold beverage he wasted no time chugging it down.

"But-"

"Flynn...I'm not leaving you alone again."

He tensed at this, knowing full well that he could not and _would not_ argue with the other about that. The best could to was hold his tongue, fingers running themselves through his hair was he tried to calm down his nerves. It wasn't all that had to notice how torn he was, so it didn't surprise him all that much when Yuri leaned in close. He told him point blank that even if he wasn't invited he'd stalk his ass all the way there, and even if it sounded creepy as hell he couldn't deny that it was something the other male would do.

"We have to do something about those stalking tendencies you have."

"I only stalk you when necessary."

"Then what about the time you followed me when I was having launch with my professor?"

"Well...I was curious."

Flynn snickered a bit at the recollection. He knew the older man made a few slip ups here and there, but completely trusted him when it came to monogamy. Leaning in he gently kissed him, tasting the sweetness of mocha latte on his lips, he muttered that he wouldn't fret of his decision anymore. After another bottle it seemed Yuri was awake enough to get ready, so the blonde merely waited for him at the kitchen table. In the process of doing so he felt Aki rub against his leg, begging for attention, and because he was a sucker for the cat he gave it to her.

With a small motion with his hand she jump into his lap, the blonde stroking her soft fur as he thought about what could happen on their little visit. The last time he had seen his mother was two years ago, and it had not gone well at all. He had gone by himself to see her, and it had ended with him getting slapped, nearly strangled and called 'worthless'. Flynn had wondered if visiting at all was even possible, though the doctor had said that contact with her was necessary for her recovery.

He really doubted that...but a small part of him believed it, and as such was the driving force for his decision to go and see her once more. The blonde was sure that he was not as naïve as he had been in the past, and therefore knew that being caution around her was the only thing he could do. She was dangerous...A bit later Yuri was finally finished getting ready, Repede walking to the door with them before they left.

Like always the older man drove, because even if he possessed a license the blonde could not bring himself to drive in fear of what might happen. When taking his drivers test everything was fine, but when he actually got on the road he couldn't help but panic after a while. Even if he had been asleep during the time of the accident, the panic he felt while being behind the wheel was due to his memory of his father dying. Flynn was afraid of crashing...and that fear only multiplied tenfold when Yuri was in the car with him.

The blonde's greatest fear was losing the other male in a crash, because he did not want to survive another while someone he loved died once again. He had tried keeping this fact from Yuri, but when the two of than nearly got into an accident because of some stupid driver a year ago, everything just came out. Well...it was more like he unintentionally flipped out on the other male, causing the two of them to get into a heat argument.

After everything had calmed down he told Yuri was his anger at him was completely misplaced, adding that that what he felt wasn't irritation but fear. From that point on Yuri tired his best to not be reckless on the road, lest Flynn freak out again.

"You wanna do something after the visit? We could probably get a bite to eat-"

"Not, that's all right...I'll probably be too tired to do anything fun afterwards." When dealing with his mother it was not only emotionally but also physically draining, so instead of being a killjoy if the two of them went out he decided to just outright refuse the other's suggestion.

"Okay..." It was all the older man said as they pulled out of the parking lot, Flynn staring at their apartment complex until it was completely out of view. The two of them had long since moved in together, the other male's only requirement for moving into a new apartment with him being that he had a enough space to work.

Because they had moved it meant the drive to the hospital that housed his mother was a bit farther than before, though he didn't mind it all that much. It gave him time to think, because as much as he wanted to see his mother, to see if she was really making progress...he had begun thinking that maybe it was best to remove her from his life. There was only so much abuse one person could take, and Flynn had been taking it for far too long. It was wrong of him to even fathom such a thing, but if he was the problem then it was best he stayed away.

He still loved his mother very much...and as such wanted the best for her even if the best meant him never seeing her again.

It was an hour drive to the hospital, all the while both he and Yuri engaging in idle chit-chat about whatever was going on in their lives. The other male told him that his editor was bugging him about adding actual romance to his novels, but Yuri enjoyed being a little cocktease to his readers and only dropping hints here and there about who _might_ hookup. It was pretty amusing. Flynn was well aware of just how far ahead his boyfriend was thinking about the plot of his story, and he was sure all the readers would be shocked by the development in the coming books.

The blonde couldn't help but complain about how tiresome his job at the upscale restaurant downtown was, having quit his old job at the bakery two years ago to seek higher pay elsewhere. He really didn't mind being a waiter, but the people who came in were so obnoxious sometimes that it really grated on him. But the people who actually didn't treat him like a dog were the best, though he made sure to give everyone the same amount of service as the next table.

It was probably because of his demeanor (and maybe looks) that he received so many tips, and the owners were rather impressed that he had managed to remember so much about the menus and wine. He actually hadn't been able to legally drink any of the stuff until that year, but he had learned enough to know which wine paired with which food the best without having to taste it at all.

The sommelier ready helped him with all of this because it meant one less thing he had to do, because most waiters in the restaurant didn't have that kind of knowledge and usually let the 'expert' take care of it. Having wine experience also meant more money for Flynn; he received commission for each bottle of wine he managed to sell off to the patrons, and those bottle did not come cheap so the pay wasn't bad at all.

Unfortunately it was a slow season...not that many people came in, but it did mean the blonde got himself a few more days off.

"Hm...maybe I should come by and watch your tight little ass walk around in your uniform...hell, that'll make me want to buy anything you suggest."

"I really hope you're aware that you've developed a pretty bad uniform fetish."

"Oh, I'm well aware, just buying my time until you develop one too." When questioned just what that meant, Yuri just responded with 'you'll see this Halloween'. He couldn't help but laugh, the conversation heading into such an absurd place.

It at least took his mind off of the fact that they weren't too far from the institution, though when they finally pulled up to the parking lot his nerves began to get the better of him.

"...Are you going to be okay...? We don't have to go in..." That was so very true...the two of them didn't _have_ to go inside, but...he _needed_ to. Flynn needed confirmation...needed to know if he was truly the problem hindering his mother's progress.

"No, it's...it's okay, let's go." And with that the car was parked and they made their way inside the building. The two of them signed in at the front desk, stripping themselves of anything that could be 'hazardous to the patient' as the nurse said.

They were given visitor tags before being sent off, the blonde tightly gripping the older man's hand as they walked down the hall. He knew very well that they weren't going to his mother's room, because the last time had pretty much killed off any chance of that happening again. The blonde knew very well where they were going instead; he had seen the dangerous patient visiting area before, which consisted of a small, white room with a table in the center of it.

At said table were two chairs, one of which donning several straps to keep the patient restrained. He didn't want to see her like that...but it was for his own safety. The nurse stopped them in front of a large glass window, the three of them watching as his mother was brought in from the small door in the far left on the other side of the room. Both of her arms were being held by two attendants as they help her in and down into the chair, the two of them strapping her in and making sure she was secure before leaving.

"...Do you want me to come in with you?" Flynn merely muttered a small 'no, it's fine', even if he wasn't exactly sure if it would be. He slowly let go of Yuri's hand before going into the room, slipping into the empty chair across from his mother before going silent.

She had her head down, long hair having been cut most likely the first day she had arrive, but there as still enough to touch her shoulders and obscure her face. He wasn't actually sure if she was even aware of his presence, but he figured that maybe if he started speaking they'd get somewhere.

"Um, hello...I'm sorry it's been so long since I last visited you." He tired to smile, though it quickly faded when she didn't so much as look up at him.

"Um...school's going well, though it'll be a while before a I get the job I want. Did I tell you I'm working towards becoming a psychologist? I thought I could help people if I was one. You remember Yuri, right? The guy I'm dating? He's doing well too...do you wanna speak to him?"

He was really trying his best to get something out of her...but it seem she just flat out didn't want to speak to him.

"...If you don't want me here, please say so...please just...say _something_." He was pleading, and he really didn't care who was listening. He couldn't make a decision if she didn't speak to him.

After a few minutes of silence he figured that it was probably best if he left, not wanting to stay if he was going to have a one-sided conversation. Scooting his chair back, the metal scratching against the smooth flooring, he decided to give speak to her one last time before leaving.

"I'll...come and see you again if I can-"

"I'm sorry..."

For some odd reason those barely audible words stopped him in his tracks, full attention on her as he rethought his leaving. Hesitantly he sat back down, noticing her slightly lift her head and look at him. When she said it again he couldn't help but tense again, but this time because he wasn't exactly sure what she was referring to. He tried talking to her, but the only thing she would say was 'I'm sorry'...and quiet frankly he was beginning to believe that this was headed in a very nasty direction.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry... _I'm so sorry I didn't kill you when you were younger_ ," Instead of outright leaving Flynn waited, because in that moment he felt the need to say something he probably wouldn't have in the past, "Oh god...I should've...I should've pushed you harder down the stairs. I-I should've strangled you...stabbed you more, a-anything to make you go away. I-It's your fault he's-"

"I was a fucking child when it happened!" He stood up far too quickly, as a result the chair behind him came crashing down to the floor in a rather violent manor, "You can't blame me for something I had absolutely no control over! You had...you had no goddamn right to treat me the way you did...You were the parent, Mom, you were supposed to take care of me, not treat me like your own emotional punching bag!"

"I-"

"I understand that you were hurt, that you were going through something I could never comprehend at the time, but...that doesn't change the fact that you were the _adult_ in the situation. I...I needed you. But I get it now...I know what I need to do." He had become to fed up with everything...but he couldn't bring himself to hate her, just her actions. While he began to leave he only stopped momentarily when he heard his mother call his name, not his father's, _**his**_.

But he didn't look back, even as she became frantic with her cries. It wasn't until he was on the other side of the door did he see her struggling against her restraints, but his resolve wouldn't be broken that easily. He wasn't going to see her for the time being, no...it was better to say that he was going to wait until she came to him, because it was clear that he wasn't helping things in the slightest. Flynn felt so...upset and miserable and betrayed and...and _so tired_.

He barely registered that he was now in Yuri's car, or for that matter that said older man was speaking to him.

"Huh?"

"I said, are you okay?"

No, there was no point in lying...so he merely shook his head as he lean back against the passenger seat. The other male didn't start the car right away, which he didn't mind all that much, and he didn't tense at all when he felt Yuri wrap his arms around his shoulder. He was leaning against his shoulder now, Yuri placing his head against his as he held him tight.

"...I really hate seeing you like this..." He relaxed a little when he felt his thumb trace itself over his neck.

"Let's just go home..." The two of them stayed in that position for a bit longer before Yuri pulled out of the parking lot, Flynn sitting back in his seat and deciding that the best thing he could do was take a nap. He was rather pleased that he didn't dream, or rather that his memories from the past didn't haunt him like they had before.

He must've been even more tired than he originally thought, because he had no recollection of being taking inside of their apartment or being placed in bed for that matter. He only became aware of it when he awakened, the sun no longer high in the sky as he looked out the window. Repede was next to him, completely sprawled out to the point that the blonde was rather surprised the large dog hadn't kicked him out of the bed. Reaching over he scratched behind his ear, the Akita Inu give off a low groan as he leaned back into his touch.

"We spoil you too much..." He chuckled to himself when said spoiled dog huffed at him. Sitting up he noticed the lingering smell of something in the air, meaning that Yuri had already cooked and was busy on his computer.

Even if he was still rather tired, the blonde decided that he had slept enough for one afternoon. This little judgment proved to be the right one, the glance he took at the small digital clock on the nightstand telling him that he only had three more hours to go before his shift started. Slipping out of bed Flynn decided not to change, finding it a waste to only spend such a short amount of time in house clothes. Repede followed him as he left the room, finding Yuri exactly where he figured he'd be. The other male only worked in two spots, by his desktop that was situated in the bedroom and on the living room couch with his laptop.

The sound of fingers against keys filled the air and placed Flynn at ease, his eyes watch the other male for a little bit before venturing into the kitchen. Peeking into the fridge he found a number new things wrapped in aluminum foil, though the small ramekins on the bottom shelf intrigued him the most.

"Don't touch the flan." Looking up he saw the other male glance over at him before going back to his work.

"That's what those are? Hm...you know, we charge over $20 for flan at the restaurant." He wasn't all that surprised when Yuri looked up at him with a bewildered look on his face.

"...$20? Are they milking the cows themselves? Do they shit caramel as well?"

"I know, it's highway robbery." It really was; Flynn felt most of the menu was completely overpriced, but it wasn't his place to complain since he was just there to serve the food. But he had to admit...Yuri was a much better cook.

Since he wasn't really in the mood for food he merely grabbed a bottle of water before walking back into the living room. Sitting next to the other male he leaned against him a little, making sure he wasn't hindering the other's typing by his position.

"...Your posture is terrible."

"Leave this old man's posture alone."

"Yuri, for the hundredth time, you're only twenty-seven, you're not old." This didn't stop him from groaning, fingers ruffling his hair as he said that he only had three more years until thirty.

"I can feel my hair growing gray by the seconds."

"...Really, Yuri? _Really_?" Some of the things the other male said really made him look like an idiot.

"What? It's possible, and then I'll get all dried up and wrinkly and ugh...this is depressing as fuck..." Flynn was well aware that Yuri's fears of aging weren't just from a vanity standpoint, but honestly...Reaching over he gently grabbed the other's chin, making it so the two of them were looking at one another.

"Even if you do become dried up and wrinkly with gray hairs everywhere, or when you're eighty and I'm seventy-three, I'll still love you."

He expected the surprised look from Yuri, but what he hadn't expected was him to double over in laughter. The older man was seriously lying against the couch laughing his ass off, arms wrapped around his stomach as his voice filled the apartment. Well...shit...he really thought he had said something pretty damn touching. Instead of complaining right away he just sat back and let Yuri get it all out of his system, which took much longer than expected.

"So...what the hell was that about?"

"S-Sorry, it's just," He snickered again, and really looked as if he was going to start another laughing fit, "I wrote a line like that in one of my crappy romance novels some time back, a-and to actually hear someone say it make me realize how much of a god-awful line it was."

"...I was being serious you know..." Could anyone blame him for being offended? He really had meant what he said, and Yuri was laughing at him for it...

"I know, I know, but you don't have to use such pretty words with me. Just say you love me." Oh...that made sense. As the author of previous romance novels Yuri had probably written many versions of 'I love you', so it was completely understandable that he'd get tired of it.

Sometimes it was okay to be simplistic.

"All right...I love you."

"Heh, I remember when you'd get all flushed from just saying that." It didn't help at all that he actually did blush a bit after hearing him say that, the smirk on the other male's lips meaning that he had fallen right into his trap.

"Oh? What's this? You still blush after saying it?"

But Flynn knew how to fight back now.

"Oh course not, I'm just admiring the fact that I'm dating such a gorgeous creature."

And there it was. The older man physically reeled back, a look of utter shock accompanying the deep blush on his face. He had leaned over the years that when it came to his looks Yuri really did see himself as a rather 'plain' individual, nothing more nothing less. So when the blonde complimented him on his looks it never ceased to make him blush, because he knew Yuri was aware that he was being completely sincere.

"O-Okay, okay, you win this time, just stop-"

"Eh? How could I stop? Your beauty is stunning." He pinned the other male when he tried to flee backwards, Flynn staring down at him with an amused smirk on his face.

"Ha, ha, okay, enough...if my laptop gets messed up I'm throwing you out the window."

"I have to be at work in three hours, that wouldn't be very convenient-"

"And no flan for you either...I'm eating it all in front of you."

As much as he really wanted to make a comment about how that much flan would only go straight to his ass, he decided against it, the older man retrieving his laptop before sitting at the far end of the couch. He was obviously mad, and Flynn had learned to just wait it out and hope that the other male forgave him. He hadn't expected to be ignored for the whole three hours he had to kill, so when it was time for him to go he had to stop by the side of the couch to see if he could at least coax a 'goodbye' out of Yuri.

"I'm about to leave you know..." Yuri's fingers didn't so much as slow down, the blonde standing in the same spot for a solid minute before decided to give up. Luckily the silence must've done something to the older man; before he could even walk an inch away he felt a hand grab the bottom of his shirt, the force of Yuri pulling him towards the couch damn near toppling him over.

"...You seriously thought I was just gonna let you leave?"

"Dunno, I can't always gauge your pissed off level accurately."

This seemed to cause the older male to laugh a bit before pulling him down, their lips connecting in a sloppy manner because of the angle. Still, he was greatly satisfied by it.

"Come home safe so I can give you something better, Blondie"

"I'll try to hurry back."

Getting back up he made his way over to the door, but before he could leave he heard Yuri call for him.

"...I hope you feel better, Flynn..." This brought a small smile to his face; Flynn was willing to admit that he wasn't completely over what his mother had done, but with those words...he was sure his recovery would come sooner.

"Thank you, Yuri."


End file.
